Of Beauty & Rage: Renegades
by Adoration of an Enigma
Summary: (Previously titled only Renegades) Sakura has spent her whole life living for those around her. When trouble strikes the village, and steals away the last thing keeping her alive, she finds herself led to Amegakure. She has only herself to rely on now, but when the Akatsuki steps in to save her Sakura is left to finally decide where her allegiance stands. Pein/Pain x Sakura.
1. No Warning

So, this is my first Naruto Fan Fiction in awhile! I had been reading some Pein/Pain x Sakura stories, as well as Itachi x Sakura stories, lately, and the Sakura in my head developed her own story to be told! I hope you guys like it, since there aren't to many Pein/Pain x Sakura stories out there!

Please, review! It's inspiring to hear from readers! Even a few words is encouragement :)

DISCLAIMER: As always, Masashi Kishimoto owns these wonderfully complex characters! Only I own Amaya!

* * *

 _"Run away-ay with me_  
 _Lost souls in revelry_  
 _Running wild and running free_  
 _Two kids, you and me_

 _And I said hey_  
 _Hey, hey, hey_  
 _Living like we're renegades_  
 _Hey, hey, hey_  
 _Hey, hey, hey_  
 _Living like we're renegades_  
 _Renegades, renegades_

 _Long live the pioneers_  
 _Rebels and mutineers_  
 _Go forth and have no fear_  
 _Come close and lend an ear_

 _And I said hey."_

 _-Renegades, X Ambassadors_

* * *

Chapter One

The sun shone bright over Konoha; it was a beautiful day, and Sakura swiped the loose strands of hair out of her face to let the vitamin-D soak in. After pulling an overnighter at the hospital, one would have thought the kunoichi would be exhausted and crawling back to her bed by now. But, having been trained extensively by Tsunade, as well as raising a small child, sleep was far down on her priority list. Sakura could let forty-eight hours slip by before even letting a yawn slip from her lips.

It had been years since Sasuke disappeared, and a few more years since Naruto had returned from his training with Jiraiya, one off the legendary Sannin. Sakura had finished her fair share of time training with her own legendary Sannin, though, learning many useful, technical, and difficult things from her studies under Lady Tsunade. Sakura hadn't become one of the top medical students in Konoha overnight, but, with Tsunade's guidance, Sakura had made a dream a reality.

The idea of ever seeing Sasuke alive again had consumed her very being for years, alongside Naruto. But eventually, Sakura couldn't pretend anymore. She couldn't keep hope in something so... painful. So detrimental to her emotional and physical health. And as she watched her young daughter swinging on the playground, Sakura was glad she'd let the small flicker of hope die long ago. Sasuke had become something she could never achieve, and Sakura had to let go of the very idea of her childhood infatuation and teammate. He had chosen his path; it had been time for her to cut her own path in the world.

She felt almost... free... to do, say, and commit to anything she could put her mind to. No longer did she have to worry about Sasuke, and what she would do when he returned.

Sasuke was never coming back.

When Sakura had met Kohaku Nakamura, she had never expected to fall in love so deeply. She had never expected, three months later, that she would be carrying his child. Sakura had never expected to love someone so much, and then have them taken away so quickly and so violently. Sasuke had slipped away in the night, but Kohaku was torn from her very soul.

Now, Sakura poured all of the devotion and love she held for Kohaku into their daughter. When Amaya was born, she had been alone in her apartment. It wouldn't have been so hard to get to the hospital herself if she hadn't fallen down the stairs when her water broke. Talk about the icing on the cake to her misfortunes, that year. Two hours later, her voice hoarse and almost gone from shouting so loudly, and trying her best not to pass out from the pain of a broken hip and childbirth, she held Amaya in her arms and was met with an ANBU Black Op perched at her window. Well, the shinobi turned out to be Kiba who was walking past her window on his way to the front gate for sentry duty.

Lucky her.

He'd managed to carry she and Amaya to the hospital further unscathed, and had stayed by her side through the night as medics cared for she and her newborn. Sakura had never been attracted to Kiba, but, he having been close to Kohaku, the two had inadvertently spent much free time together. Sakura may have even considered dating Kiba, if it weren't for the dread she felt in her heart every time she developed feelings for someone around her.

To many heart breaks, and no more room left for her heart to break, left Sakura a wilted flower among her friends.

Gazing up at the sun, Sakura surmised that the moment she held Amaya in her arms was the moment that she gained a purpose again for living. Seven years ago, her life had taken a turn for the worst. She'd had nothing left at the end of the day to fight for, and if it weren't for Amaya...

"Sakura!"

Sakura was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice to her left. Glancing around, Sakura's gaze landed on a blonde kunoichi crossing the grass to the playground bench Sakura had been relaxing in for the past hour.

"Ino," Sakura greeted, giving up a small smile to her previous rival. After Sauske disappeared, Ino and Sakura merely shared a passion for trying to surpass each other in their training. That passion led each of them back to a common ground, and eventually Ino had become one of her closest friends here in Konoha.

They had been each other's Maid of Honor, Ino having gotten married before her. Something Ino would probably never have let her live down, if Kohaku hadn't been killed the month before their wedding date.

But that was the past, and Sakura pushed that thought aside. Shikamaru and Ino were adorable together, even if Sakura did resent her for getting married first.

"How are you doing?" Ino asked, taking a seat next to Sakura and crossing her legs. "I heard it was rough at the hospital last night. Shikamaru had to respond to an attack at the east side of the village. It wasn't pretty when he got home."

Sakura let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "It was rough," she agreed, and rubbed her hands over her face. "It's okay, though. We didn't lose anyone, and that's what matters." At the end of the day, that's all that mattered to Sakura. Not losing another life charged to her care, ever again.

Ino nodded. "Good. That's good."

Ino followed Sakura's gaze to the silver haired girl running around with the other children. "She's a beautiful girl, Sakura," Ino acknowledged, with a soft smile. "It's a good thing she didn't inherit your abnormally large forehead."

Sakura's eye twitched and she clenched her fist. "Leave it to you to lace a compliment with an insult, Ino-Pig."

Ino gave a sharp laugh, with a humorous glint in her eye. "You better believe it, Forehead."

"Oh, taking after Naruto now, eh, Ino?"

"No way I'd take after that annoying brat!"

"Well, you are-"

Their rivalry banter was interrupted by a cry from the playground. Sakura's head snapped over to see that Amaya had fallen from the jungle gym, her knee held close to her chest. Her emerald green eyes were welling up with tears by the time Sakura and Ino had rushed over to her. The seven-year-old was tough, but she was seven after all. And seven-year-olds still cried when they got hurt.

"It's okay, baby," Sakura cooed, placing her hand over Amaya's and allowing the green healing chakra to emit from her palm. In a moment, the gash on Amaya's leg was healed and her tears were drying.

"See? Your Mom has got you covered, kid. You could break anything and she'd be able to fix you!" Ino said, ruffling Amaya's hair while Sakura snorted.

While Amaya laughed, Sakura said, "Let's not tempt fate, please. I worry enough."

"You don't have to worry, Momma! I'm going to be a great ninja like you, and then you won't have to fix me." Amaya smiled up at her mother, teeth shining, and Sakura couldn't help seeing Kohaku in that smile.

"You mean a great ninja like your Aunt Ino!" Behind her hand, Ino whispered, "Everyone knows I'm a better ninja than your mom."

"Ino!" Sakura growled, eyes narrowed. "Don't try to turn my own child against me!"

As Amaya giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, a deep voice interrupted the laughter.

"Sakura Haruno?"

Sakura glanced over Amaya's head to see the ANBU Black Op crouching atop the playground slide. It was a strange sight, to see the contrast between his black and grey uniform and the colorful playground.

"Yes?" Sakura responded as Amaya gripped her hand tighter and Ino pursed her lips.

"The Hokage has requested your presence at the hostage infirmity. Immediately."

And he was gone.

"Well that explains a lot," Sakura murmured, sighing, and glancing at Ino.

Sakura didn't even have to ask as Ino mock punched her in the shoulder. "Go on, I'll watch her."

Sakura gave Ino a thankful look, mouthing 'thank you' as she hugged Amaya and kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"Now, go before Tsunade gets impatient." Ino winked.

"Bye, Mommy! Wait, does this mean I get to see Uncle Shika?"

"Yup!" Ino responded, taking the girls hand and leading her over to the bench that held her backpack. "And maybe he'll take us out to eat tonight as a special treat."

Amaya clapped her hands, and swung her backpack on as she took off at a gleeful sprint. "Yes!"

Sakura couldn't keep the smile off her face as she took off towards Lady Tsunade, and her latest assignment. But she couldn't fight the sudden sour feeling she felt brewing in her stomach.

xxxXxxx

The hostage infirmary was attached to the prison and interrogation center at the east side of the village. Sakura could only guess that her new patient was related to the incident that caused her so much trouble at the hospital the night before.

She really hoped that Shikamaru wasn't here, because Amaya would be upset if she didn't get to see her Uncle Shika. It still amazed Sakura how much help and support she received from the rookie nine. She had always managed to be there for each one of them, but still... she hadn't expected to receive so much in return. Part of Sakura wanted to reject the help she received, out of pride. But pride wasn't one of the deadly sins for kicks and giggles. Sakura didn't want pity, but she also didn't want to feel so alone anymore. So she pushed aside her resignations and tried to meet her friends halfway when she could.

Sometimes, she felt that she relied on them too much.

The inside of the prison was damp and muggy. There was very little ventilation in the complex, to try and prevent any escape or unwarranted entry. Sakura understood the logic behind it, but it didn't mean she had to like ever setting foot here. It smelled of death, and that was something Sakura tried her best to avoid thank you very much.

Unfortunately, Sakura knew her way around the complex so well she could navigate the halls in her sleep. Being the top medical shinobi in the village, next to Lady Tsunade, of course, came with its perks. Sarcasm intended.

The hostage infirmary was a wing just off the interrogation ward, allowing for easy access to medical attention. It was far better to keep a hostage alive to pry his secrets, rather than waste time and energy only for him to die.

Ibiki's words, not Sakura's. Even though Ibiki specialized in mental torture, that didn't mean the interrogators under Ibiki did the same. To Sakura Ibiki was terrifying, because she would much rather feel the physical pain than have someone digging around in her mind to long. She had too many secrets stashed away to allow that to happen.

She met Tsunade inside the second holding room. There were a total of sixteen holding rooms, each room equipped with its own set of medical supplies to prevent the chance of anything leaving the room unnecessarily. This had been one of Sakura's suggestions.

 _'No Shikamaru in sight_ ,' thought Sakura. _'Good. The munchkin should be happy, then_.'

"Lady Tsunade," Sakura greeted, hands clasped in front of her. "How may I be of service?"

The two ANBU that flanked Tsunade didn't make a notice of Sakura entering, but she assumed they were too focused on the body lying atop the metal table. He was restrained, but that hardly meant anything.

"Ah, Sakura. Finally," Tsunade commented, arms crossed and eyes closed.

"I'm sorry for the delay," Sakura started, but Tsunade waved away the apology.

"No worries. I need you to heal this man. One of Ibiki's men did a number on him, even though I specifically ordered him to go easy. The man was harmed enough as it was." Sakura, over the years, had learned to read her mentors expressions well, and Sakura did not want to be in the interrogators shoes right now.

"Yes, ma'am."

Tsunade turned to leave, the ANBU trailing after her, but she paused next to her apprentice. Sakura glanced sideways, and gave a determined nod.

Tsunade opened her mouth to speak, but closed it and gave her pupil a satisfactory once-over. She was about to warn Sakura, as she always did, but the Hokage knew her student well. Sakura knew what she was doing, and knew the care that needed to be administered and taken.

She had been taught well, if Tsunade allowed herself to brag.

When the door closed behind the kunoichi, Sakura immediately went to work.

Assess the body. Tend to any immediate threats: major arteries, poisons. Broken bones. Then, the lesser damage.

Time flew by when Sakura threw herself into her work. She didn't allow any outside worries to flood her mind and steal her concentration. Even though this man was a criminal, Sakura treated him as a citizen of Konoha. She refused to look to pointedly at his features, though. She had learned long ago that the faces of her patients always managed to haunt her, no matter the outcome. She became too attached to allow herself to care so much.

When Sakura glanced at the clock next, five hours had passed. With the last flick of her fingers, and the last movement of chakra through the man's abdomen, the hostage was finished. Not all of the damage had been from the interrogation session. When Sakura had taken a few moments to flip through his file, the Rain shinobi had indeed been captured the previous night. What their intent was, it wasn't stated. But then again, it wouldn't be in this file. Sakura would have to delve into the files stashed in Tsunade's office, and Sakura didn't have enough interest in this case to be concerned outside of the prison.

As Sakura turned her back to rinse her hands in the bowl of water next to her equipment, the sour feeling in her stomach returned coupled with the fact that all of the hair on her body stood straight up.

 _'What...?_ ' Sakura thought, just before the light above her them shattered.

The next thing Sakura felt was the ground shaking below her feet, and a huge crack resonating all around her before she was thrown back into the wall.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed! Please review, even one word would be great! Thank you!

~Adoration.


	2. Slipping, then Gone

Alrighty! Here's Chapter Two! I hope you guys enjoy. Please let me know if I'm capturing the story well, and what I should work on it further chapters! Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: As always, these amazing characters, besides Amaya, belong to Masashi Kishimoto!

* * *

 _"I miss you, miss you so bad,_  
 _I don't forget you, oh it's so sad,_

 _I hope you can hear me,_  
 _I remember it clearly,_

 _The day you slipped away,_  
 _Was the day I found it won't be the same."_

 _-Slipped Away, Avril Lavigne_

* * *

Chapter Two

"Please, Uncle Shika? Please, please, please?"

Amaya knew how to push the right buttons in all of the shinobi around her, especially her Uncle Shikamaru. The young child had the two men wrapped around her tiny fingers, and she knew it. With this knowledge under her belt, she knew with a little pleading and a large hug to her Uncle's legs that she would get the ice cream she longed for.

Shikamaru tried to resist, he really did. But Sakura's child really did pull on his heart strings. He'd once hoped to have a simple life, with a few children, and a loving, easy going wife, but life had taken him down another path. He had his beautiful wife, albeit her easy going nature was something to be desired. Ino was as easy going as white river rapids after a flood. Absolutely non-existent. What a drag.

Ino laughed from besides Shikamaru, trying to hide the giggling behind her hand. Shikamaru and Ino had entertained the thought of children for a while when Amaya was born, but then life had taken a hold on their paths and swung them another direction. Now that things had calmed down, somewhat, they had begun trying again. Not that they were telling anyone, because wouldn't that be just troublesome to have Naruto and Kiba goading him every time he was around Ino.

Shikamaru sighed, scratching his head and closing his eyes. "Kid, you have the stomach of your Uncle Choji. It never ends."

Amaya smiled, clapped her hands, and raced over to the ice cream shop with his wife in tow. Despite his facade of annoyance, the two girls before him meant the world to him. When he'd married Ino, he knew he had already fallen hard, but after Sakura had lost Kohaku while bearing his child, the rookie nine stepped up to help their fellow kunoichi. Well, rookie eight, minus Sauske.

From the moment Sakura had lost everything, she'd gained more than she would ever know. The rookie nine had been through so much growing up, that nothing could break the bond they all shared with each other. And especially since Ino and Sakura had settled their feud for friendship, Shikamaru had spent a lot of time with the two women. Then, when Amaya came into the picture, Ino designated herself the go-to babysitter. Since that child had been born, Shikamaru had vowed to keep her safe from harm. If not for Sakura, he would do it for Ino, because his wife shared a tight bond with the girl. They couldn't handle losing another part of their friend and family circle.

"Shikamaru, come on!" Ino shouted and waved from across the street.

Hands in his pocket, Shikamaru smiled and shook his head. "Coming, dear," he chastised, much to Ino's dislike, and strode across the street to stand behind his wife and niece.

 _Boom_.

Shikamaru's hands stilled on Ino's hips, and he cocked his head to the east. A large plume of smoke rose into the night sky, and the many people in the market around him stilled to take in the same view.

"Shikamaru..." Ino murmured, and blinked a few times before taking a few steps back into the street. "That's in the direction of the prison. Sakura and Tsunade are there. Shika-"

As Ino turned to face her husband, Shikamaru had already gathered Amaya into his arms and taken Ino's hand. Rushing forward, he pushed himself from the ground to leap atop the roof tops.

As their house came into view, Shikamaru handed a very silent Amaya to Ino. "Get to the house and wait for me to come back. If anything happens, get to safety. Okay?"

Shikamaru touched his wife's face, and when Ino nodded with a set, determined look on her face, he had the confirmation to set off towards the ever growing plume of smoke rising into the sky.

He needed to check on Sakura, check on his Hokage, and help diffuse the situation if he could. Hopefully the situation wasn't anything serious. Because what a drag that would be, eh?

xxxXxxx

When Sakura came to, everything was a fog of smoke, debris, and dust. The air was static with electricity, which made Sakura's hair stand up akin to Naruto's yellow spikes. Blinking through the dust, she coughed and wiped her arm over her face.

' _What happened_?' Sakura thought, standing while rapidly blinking and swiping her hands through the air.

Before she went any further, she spun to the metal table she'd spent the past afternoon and evening pining over.

And he was gone.

' _Shit_.'

Sakura froze and tried to sense his chakra signature nearby, but all she got was a big load of nothing.

"ANBU?" She called, but no one appeared. Alright, then. She was on her own for the time being. Grabbing a scalpel off the table, she picked her way across the debris on the floor with the tool raised. No telling what this shinobi was capable, if he was anywhere nearby.

Taking a moment to look around, Sakura groaned inwardly. Part of the room had collapsed, revealing the interrogation cell perpendicular to her. It was a good thing she had been flung the other direction or she'd be suffering from more than a massive headache. The fluorescent lights were dangling from the ceiling by their wiring, and the door had been broken off its hinges and lay haphazardly on the floor a few feet away from her.

"Damnit," she cursed.

She rushed through the gaping doorway, and winced, covering her head as another series of explosions resonated through the building.

 _Boom. Boom. Crack_.

If this was another attack, related to the one from last night, Sakura wouldn't be surprised. But why had their hostage been from Amegakure? Konoha had no immediate quarrel with the Village Hidden in the Rain. Why now?

Sakura made her way quickly through the passageways, dodging debris that had fallen to the ground. Not for the first time today did she find herself wishing this ward was built with better ventilation, because every breath she took was laced with dust that scratched her throat and made her cough.

Sakura was just beginning to question whether she had gotten turned around while avoiding exposed wires and crumpled walls, when she heard a familiar voice around the corner.

"Sakura? Sakura, where are you?"

Turning the corner, Sakura collided with a tall body. "Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru instinctively grabbed Sakura's wrist with the scalpel, and then released her.

"Sakura, what happened?" he asked, looking around and wincing when the light above them sparked and flickered.

"I don't know. One moment I was cleaning up, the next there was a large explosion and everything went to Hell."

"Hell is right. The whole east wall exploded. There are Amegakure and Sound ninja crawling all over the place," Shikamaru said, glancing behind Sakura before motioning to follow him.

They ran the rest of the passageway to the outside door, and were met with the outside air filled with just as much smoke. Shikamaru wrapped his arm around Sakura's shoulders, hunching them both over as they ran along the side of the prison building.

A few yards away, chaos ensued. ANBU Black Ops and Shinobi fought against Rain and Sound ninja, some moving so fast Sakura couldn't even follow their movements.

"Sakura, come on!" Shikamaru urged as she slowed down to take in the scene before her. "You can't stay here!"

Sakura's first urge was to turn to Shikamaru and demand, 'Why the hell not?' But she knew her abilities would be needed elsewhere, particularly the hospital. So she let the comment go, and followed Shikamaru through the town streets and eventually onto the roof of an apartment complex. Looking around, the fighting seemed to be contained at the east side. The invading shinobi seemed to be held off so far, but a few battles were getting dangerously close to civilian housing.

"Oh man," Shikamaru groaned, taking in the same scene as Sakura. "This is bad; this is very bad. Sakura, Tsunade will need you at the hospital. I'll stay here to help fight."

Nodding, Sakura started to make her way towards the hospital before-

"Shikamaru?"

"She's safe," he replied, almost instantly. Sakura gave a sigh of relief. "Ino has her at our house. I told her to move to safety if things got worse, so I'm pretty sure she'll be at the hospital waiting for you."

"Thank you, Shikamaru."

He nodded, and they parted ways. Shikamaru towards his comrades, and Sakura towards her daughter and the chaos she knew the hospital would be in.

xxxXxxx

The hospital was a mess. Nurses scampering this way and that, shinobi piling up in the hallways with injuries. The damage to the wall had been severe, and, ever since the attack last night, security had been doubled in the east side area.

Sakura was happy that she'd decided to stay in her shrubs from her previous shift, because she was immediately swamped with questions, patients, and orders. Assessing each case she came across, she made her way through the halls all the while taking names, barking orders, and scanning the crowded areas for Ino or her daughter.

Right now, Sakura would give anything to drop everything and search for her daughter, but she had to trust Ino would watch over her as she always had.

Three broken femur's, two concussions, and three brain hemorrhage later, Sakura was running low on energy and chakra. She still hadn't recovered from the night before, not to mention the five hours healing Ibiki's hostage. There wasn't much more she could do until the second wave of medics arrived in an hour, per Tsunade's orders. Technically, Sakura could take on a few more patients, but Tsunade had warned her about stretching herself to thin. Sakura had experienced the effects firsthand, on her first solo shift in the E.R.

"Get this one to surgical. He's going to need much more healing before he's stable. Mika, help Kin get this one to the O.R., please! Karin? Come here!"

Sakura was almost too busy dishing out diagnoses and treatments to notice the shouting from one of the trauma rooms. Normally she would have ignored the loud voices, because painful cries were typical for these kinds of nights. But two names caught her attention: "Ino Yamanaka" and "Sakura Haruno."

"Ino?" Sakura murmured, wondering why she was in a trauma room.

Blinking, she passed the pile of medical charts on the counter to Karin without a word and raced around the counter to trauma room six.

Hastily pushing the door open, Sakura met every pair of eyes in the room, but not the ones she longed for.

"Sakura! Oh God, Sakura. I'm so sorry- Ah!" Ino interrupted herself with a shout as one of the nurses set her shoulder back in place.

Sakura's eyes widened as she took in her friend. Gashes criss-crossed Ino's face, with bruising around her neck and eyes. She was definitely going to look like a racoon later. The corner of her lip was split wide open, and the front of her shirt was covered in blood.

As sakura was scanning over the kunoichi's appearance, Ino had been rapidly speaking the whole time.

Sakura shook her head. "Ino, what are you saying? Where's Amaya? Slow down, I can't-"

"They cornered us, Sakura. I was on my way here, and they just came out of nowhere. We had no warning. I couldn't stop them, they grabbed her, and-"

Sakura's stomach dropped, filling with dread. " _Ino_!"

Ino paused in her babbling, eyes glazing over. "I couldn't get her back. They grabbed her, but she slipped out of my hands. They took her. Amaya. She's gone. Sakura, I'm so sorry. I tried, I held on as tight as I could, but I passed out..."

Sakura registered ' _Amaya_ ' and ' _gone_ ,' but nothing else. Ino's words flew right over her head as she tried to comprehend the words coming out of her best friends mouth.

As Ino started seizing on the table, Sakura's heart dropped.

Amaya was gone.

" _No_."

As the nurses flooded around Ino, trying to stabilize her, Sakura took a few steps back with wide eyes. Normally, she would have stayed at Ino's side, but Amaya...

Her daughter was gone.

Sakura pushed through the halls, ignoring the calls from her fellow nurses and medics. When she emerged onto the front street, the outside air held a tinged scent of burnt wood and fire. Pushing what chakra she had left to her feet, she sprinted through the streets that led to Ino and Shikamaru's apartment. Amaya was nowhere to be seen along the way, nor was she inside the Nara's home.

Sprinting over the rooftops, Sakura sped the way to her own apartment. No luck.

Her heart was racing a mile a minute and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. Her eyes were scanning the area around her as she stumbled around in the street, hopelessly shouting, "Amaya?"

' _This can't be happening. She's somewhere. She wouldn't just disappear.'_

Sakura managed to make her way to the east wall, retracing her steps from earlier. As she approached the field Shikamaru and she had crossed earlier, she took notice of the lack of battles occurring. The foreign, invading shinobi seemed to have retreated back through the wall where they had infiltrated from.

Amaya had to be here. Someone had to have spotted her, and grabbed her. Kiba was here, and Shikamaru. No telling who else had shown up to deflect the attack. She could trust them to keep an eye out for Amaya, to notice when something was wrong.

Right?

" _Amaya_!" She shouted, running forward across the field, through the bodies of Rain and Sound shinobi, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sakura?"

Her wild eyes landed on Shikamaru, who stared at her with confusion. Blood splattered his face and clothes, but all she could do was shake her head and keep a look out for Amaya.

"Sakura, what are you doing here? Did something happen at the hospital?" Shikamaru asked, approaching the frantic kunoichi.

"Amaya," Sakura shakily whispered, and pushed past Shikamaru to search through the crowds of shinobi gathered before the rubble. "Where is Amaya?"

Shikamaru blinked, and spun to face Sakura. "She's with Ino, Sakura. What are you…?"

"Ino…She couldn't—someone took her—I couldn't find—" Sakura shook her head, tears falling over her cheeks.

Shikamaru blinked and gripped Sakura's shoulders. "Sakura, what are you talking about? Where is Ino? Amaya?"

Sakura's breath sawed through her throat faster and faster as her gaze came up empty over the field. She tore out of Shikamaru's grasp, pushing him away.

"She _has_ to be here. Someone had to of grabbed her from them. Ino couldn't hold onto her. Ino was hurt to bad. Amaya?" Sakura gasped, forcing the words, as choppy as they were, from her mouth.

One of the ANBU Black Ops landed behind Shikamaru. The dog mask gave it away, but his concerned tone helped Shikamaru place him. "Shikamaru, what's going on?"

"I don't know, I— _Sakura_! Kiba, stop her!"

Kiba had Sakura in his grasp in an instant as she tried to sprint over the rubble and into the forest.

" _Let me go_. I have to find her. She's not here. She had to be here, and she's not. They grabbed my baby, now let me go!" Sakura screamed, fighting with all of her might against Kiba's strong grip. Thank man struggled, and his head whipped around to stare at Shikamaru.

"Ino…" Shikamaru breathed, eyes wide and body quivering. If Amaya was gone, where had Ino been?

"Amaya!" Sakura scanned the darkness of the forest just outside of the village.

" _Stop_ , Sakura! _Stop_!" Kiba shouted, pulling back on the kunoichi until they both fell backwards to the ground.

"Let me go! I have to go after her!" Sakura shouted into the sudden silence. " _Amaya_!"

* * *

I hope you guys enjoyed chapter two! I hope to be incorporating Pein/Pain next chapter, hopefully, if he will cooperate! Lol! Please Review! Even a few words makes a big difference and gives a big confidence boost!

~Adoration.


	3. Somewhere

Alrighty, guys. I present Chapter Three to you all! I hope you enjoyed. I tried to make this chapter longer than the others, and I think I succeeded o.O

I hope you guys enjoy, and, as always, review! Even a few words matter to me! Thanks to those who have reviewed the past two chapters :)

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, save for Amaya and Kohaku. These two are my creation.

* * *

 _"Lost in the darkness,_  
 _Hoping for a sign,_  
 _Instead there's only silence,_  
 _Can't you hear my screams?_

 _Never stop hoping,_  
 _Need to know where you are,_  
 _But one thing's for sure,_  
 _You're always in my heart."_

 _-Somewhere, Within Temptation_

* * *

Chapter Three

The rain and thunder were deafening when Sakura stepped outside, and she suddenly realized the umbrella she carried wouldn't help a single bit. Turning around and unlocking her front door once again, she stepped out of the unfortunate weather and sighed.

She hadn't been paying much attention to her surroundings while she packed, having been too focused on what exactly she would need, and how she was going to trace her daughter exactly. It had already been a full day since Amaya had disappeared, and at the rate the weather was traveling the storm would only get worse through the night.

 _'Great_ ,' Sakura thought, shoving the umbrella she held into her pack in favor of the rain gear hanging in the front closet.

Adjusting the extra layer of clothing, Sakura glanced in the mirror and paused. Her long, layered pink hair surrounded her face and pooled down her shoulders. She had grown it long after Amaya was born, not having the heart to cut the long strands her daughter loved to play with and grip onto. The length reached just above the center of her back, which was longer than she'd grown it in years.

Before pulling on the hood of her jacket, she twirled her waterfall of hair back into a bun so that the rain wouldn't stick it to her face and neck.

Glancing at the wall of pictures she'd built up over the years, Sakura gave a small, sad smile. Usually, the wall brought her nothing but happy memories, but with Amaya gone... All Sakura could see were the last moments she might ever see of her daughter again.

"Stop," she whispered to herself, grimacing. It would do no good to think like that.

Closing her eyes, she pictured Amaya hidden away somewhere safe awaiting help. Wishful thinking, but it helped. Slightly. Actually, the train of thought led her imagination to conjure up morbid scenarios, so Sakura pushed all thoughts away entirely while closing and locking the door behind her.

The front garden was surviving the torrential downpour, but the small pond in the middle seemed to be overflowing with the puddles forming around it. It was a good thing Sakura and Amaya had stretched a piece of mesh over the top to keep the Koi from being hunted by birds. That had been a terrible day when both girls had returned from work and school to find all of the fish had disappeared, and a group of hawks sitting on their roof.

At least the fish wouldn't end up out of the pond by the time she returned.

The village seemed to be deserted, save for the few shops that still remained open and the few citizens roaming the streets.

It had been awhile since Konoha had received such a bad rainstorm-

The large _'crack'_ from above made Sakura flinch and gaze upward. Well, thunderstorm now.

Even better. Sakura had lightening to contend with, along with slipping out of the village unnoticed, and beginning the search for her daughter who could be anywhere by now. Just peachy.

Well, going against orders was never easy. If Sakura had obeyed Tsunade's orders, she could be enjoying her warm and dry house right now. But Tsunade's orders didn't take into account the fact that it involved Sakura waiting another week for the search for Amaya to begin.

 _"Allow the ANBU to handle this, Sakura," Tsunade spoke, hands threaded in front of her mouth. "I am gathering a team that will be dispatched in seven days. They will track and bring Amaya home."_

 _"What about me, where am I supposed to be while this is happening?" Sakura shouted, body quivering._

 _"You will remain here. Sakura, you are too emotional to retrieve Amaya safety and rationally. Please, let me handle this."_

If only Tsunade understood what it was like to have a child. Then maybe she could have understood that a day was far too long to know her daughter was missing, let alone a week. To know she could have done something to stop this...

It was killing her. If only she had gone to pick Amaya up when the explosion happened, then none of this would have happened.

Ino still hadn't woken up when Sakura left the hospital this afternoon, and Shikamaru hadn't left her side since arriving the night before.

Sakura knew she should care, and she did. But it was all pushed to the back of her mind until she returned with Amaya. She would retrieve her daughter, and return to find Tsunade angry but ecstatic that Amaya was safe. As well as the others. Sure, the rookie nine, minus Naruto who was on a mission to the Land of Mist, had stopped by to check on her and see how she was fairing, but it all had meant nothing.

As long as her daughter was gone, Sakura would only be a shell.

Sakura slipped through the front gate undetected, judging by the lack of response from the shinobi guards. Not even a pause in their conversation.

Following the wall until she reached the rubble on the east side, Sakura could finally retrieve the grey and white scroll from her hip. Setting it down just inside the cover of the forest, in a spot that was the most dry, Sakura made a few hand signs. The summoning scroll unraveled immediately, twirling up in a tight, tornado like fashion until five wolves appeared. The wolves weren't as big as the Inuzuka Clan ninken, but they were big enough to strike fear into an opponent.

As the scroll rolled and snapped back into place, Sakura caught it and replaced the summoning tool on her hip.

The Beta of her pack, Ookami, stood tall as his gaze remained on Sakura. Around him stood Urufu, Garou, Sunao, and Hanta.

"Listen," Sakura started, and all eyes swung to her. Each wolf bowed their head, listening to their Alpha. "Amaya has gone missing-"

Sunao, one of the females in the group, and Ookami's mate, snarled. Ookami stamped his front paw, swinging his head to silence his mate.

But Sakura raised her hand, making Ookami's head focus forward again.

"Its okay, Ookami." He bowed his head once more. The wolves couldn't speak as Kakashi's ninken could, but they responded to body language just as wolves in the wild did.

Sakura understood them. She had been able to understand them since she'd found them, malnourished and starving, on a mission in the Land of Grass. They had been kept in small cages, being experimented on by the same shinobi her group had been tracking. That had been three years ago, and now the wolves were strong and well trained. Thanks to Kakashi and Kiba, Sakura had been able to master a few tracking jutsu of her own as well as train the wolves for life in Konoha and the forests just beyond.

"She was taken last night, when the attack on the village was underway. I know the rain may have washed the majority of her scent away by now, but I have faith in your abilities. Lead me to my daughter."

Each head rose, and five pairs of eyes, burning with anger and the thrill of the hunt, fixed on Sakura. Waiting.

Sakura met each pair of eyes, varying colors of hazel, amber, green, and one all white, blind pair. Hanta, the other female of the group, had been experimented on extensively. Her abilities were astounding after her training, but her strength had come at a high price.

"Alert me when you've caught her scent. I will follow from a distance. Go!"

The wolves sprinted past her into the underbrush with amazing speed leaving Sakura, once again, alone in the rain. As she listened for their signal, Sakura turned to gaze at the wall of her village. Broken, crumbling, and flawed. She hoped that when she returned the village would be safe once again and life would return to normal.

A hopeful spark lit a fire in her that grew until butterflies made her stomach toss and turn. The familiar bay of Sunao sounded over the rain, and, with one last look at Konoha, Sakura sped off through the trees to follow the pack towards her daughter.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Shikamaru demanded eyes wide and mouth agape. He'd left the hospital only when Lady Tsunade had requested his presence, and even then he hadn't wanted to leave Ino's side. The seizure that had wracked her body the night before had taken a lot out of his wife, but even the doctors were worried that she hadn't woken up yet.

Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I knew Sakura would defy me, but I at least thought she would have been caught leaving the village. Damn Izumo and Kotetsu; I gave them one job."

Shikamaru chanced a smirk. "You clearly don't know Sakura that well anymore, then. She would do anything for Amaya. Regardless, we need to go after her. She could be in danger herself, now."

Tsunade shook her head. "No."

"What do you mean 'No'? We have to send help for her. Who knows what she's getting herself into!"

"I've never seen you so intent on doing something, Shikamaru. Not even when you married Ino Yamanaka."

Shikamaru scowled and narrowed his eyes. "Well, one becomes passionate when someone close to them is in trouble and is depended on. Send reinforcements, Lady Tsunade."

Sighing, Tsunade leaned forward and placed her elbows on her desk. "We will continue with the mission as planned. The ANBU Team will leave in six days. I merely wanted to let you know the details of the situation."

When Shikamaru didn't move, Tsunade picked up her pen and began scribbling something onto a small piece of paper. "You're dismissed, Shikamaru. I expect for you to let the others who are concerned know, as well."

Shikamaru clenched and unclenched his fist, but eventually turned to leave when he decided it wouldn't do any good to push the matter farther.

"Oh, and Shikamaru? Don't do anything irrational. The last thing we need is for every shinobi that cares about Sakura to go chasing after her. Remember, we were still attacked. We need you here."

Shikamaru shut the door after him. His plans on returning to Ino immediately would have to wait. He needed to speak to Kiba.

Sakura slowed as the pack's chakra signatures came to a halt. Reaching a point in the tree's just above the five wolves, Sakura scanned the river bank just ahead of them. A small hut was placed just beyond the water's reach, with a dock extending out into the water. Amegakure stretched into the storming sky beyond the river, it's tall, industrial towers blending in with the grey and black storm clouds above. The hut seemed to be abandoned, save for the flicker of light from the window.

She flicked her gaze to the wolves below her, but their eyes were trained on the hut. Ookami was the only one who looked to Sakura for their next orders.

The trip west had been a long, grueling task for the six of them. Not only had it rained in Konoha, with a couple hours of sun, but as they reached the edge of Fire Country only to enter Rain Country the storms had picked up at full force. Right now, the rain was steady and there seemed to be no thunder.

'Thank goodness,' Sakura thought, eyes scanning the banks of the river beyond the hut. The thunder had been non-stop for the day and a half journey. She was likely to go deaf from the constant ' _cracks'_ and ' _booms_.'

With only a few short stops along the way, Sakura was running on empty. She hadn't slept for three days, and she felt body reaching its limit. But she couldn't sleep knowing that Amaya wasn't safe. Sleep was impossible, no matter how exhausted Sakura was. The kunoichi would have to pass out before she would let herself even experience a wink of sleep.

The wolves panted below her, but stood strong in their 'V' formation. They wouldn't rest before their Alpha did, no matter how exhausted they were.

" _An animal that trusts, respects, and cares for you, especially a canine, will run through hellfire before indulging in comfort before their master," said Kiba as he patted Akamaru's head._

Kiba hadn't been wrong about her wolves yet.

Sakura stared at her wolves, and gave a low whistle. The other four swung their heads skyward as Sakura motioned for them to lie down. Obeying their Alpha each lowered to the ground to rest, but their ears and eyes remained alert towards the river.

Amaya was there. She had to be.

' _But what if she wasn't?_ '

As the thought crossed her mind, Sakura saw the door swing open and three figures emerge. One was laughing loudly, punching another in the shoulder as the third dragged something behind him. Tossing whatever it was forward, he gave a shout and pulled the katana from its sheath on his back.

"This'll teach you to pull a kunai on me, you little bitch!" shouted the tall, burly man.

All five wolves below her suddenly jumped to their feet, heads lowered and teeth bared. Ookami snarled, tail swiping from left to right in anger.

Sakura registered her wolves' behavior and glanced to the crumpled figure in the field. She knew whom she would find before her eyes even settled on the small child with crisp white and silver hair.

" _Amaya_ ," Sakura whispered to herself, and clenched her teeth.

Sakura's body shook—excitement at finally seeing her child, pride that the young girl had defended herself, and uncontrollable, growing rage at the condition Amaya was in.

Amaya lay on the ground, quivering before the man and the sight of his raised katana, and something in Sakura snapped.

Without warning Sakura, pushing as much chakra to her feet as she could without making large craters in her surroundings, surged forward into the field. She was halfway to Amaya in an instant, but it seemed to take an eternity to reach her daughter.

As the man's katana lowered, Sakura gathered as much chakra into her fist as time would allow and leaned forward for momentum to push her fist into the ground. Eyes wild and wide, she watched as the earth before her quaked and quivered and eventually broke apart, throwing the three men and Amaya apart.

Sakura sprinted towards Amaya while Ookami led the other four wolves just in front of Sakura. They came to a halt in between the threat and their Alpha, keeping their eyes trained on the shocked and recovering men.

"My baby," Sakura breathed as she skid to a stop in front of Amaya, gathering the girl in her arms and checking her over with quick, experienced hands. "Amaya, oh, Amaya. Shh, you're alright. I'm here."

Amaya was shaking uncontrollably with ragged breathing, small whimpers escaping her lips. She ran her hands over her mother's arms and quickly grasped Sakura's shirt, pulling her closer to bury herself as close to her mother as possible. Amaya didn't want to let go; she didn't want to have any chance of going with those men again. She didn't want to slip out of someone's grasp again.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" shouted one of the men in a harsh, cruel tone, while another 'clucked' his tongue.

"Well, well. Look at this, men. Looks like we have another bitch coming to play," said another, picking up his katana and narrowing his eyes at the wolves dividing him and his prey. "Looks like we're going to have some fun today, boys!"

Sakura stiffened at the man's words, and she slowly turned to stare at the men forty yards away. The anger coursing through her was like nothing else she had ever felt, because these men had laid their hands on her child. These men had kidnapped Amaya, stolen her away to another country, and had done God only knows to _her child_.

As far as Sakura was concerned these men should have been running the opposite direction, because these last few moments were going to be their last.

"You would do well to run, because I am not someone to be played with," Sakura spoke, her voice practically a growl. She stood, and it pained her to lightly tug Amaya's hands off of her shirt. Sakura gave a quick, two-toned whistle, and Hanta was running to her in an instant.

"Stay with Amaya. Do not leave her side, understand?"

Hanta snorted, wrapping her large body around Amaya's as a protective shield.

Sakura crouched and brushed a few silver locks out of Amaya's terrified face. "I'll be back. I promise. Cling to Hanta, and don't let go."

Amaya's lips quivered and she shook her head even though her hands wove into Hanta's thick, grey fur. "Mommy, stay. Stay, don't go. _Please_. Mommy… _Mommy_!"

Sakura turned, flinching as Amaya called out to her, but the rage coursing through her was too strong to simply hold onto Amaya and run. These men would never live to seek out her daughter again.

"Look, kunoichi. You should have just taken that abomination and ran," said the third, quiet man. "This doesn't concern you. Just let us have the kid, and maybe we'll let you go. After we have our way with you, that is."

As the man spoke, Sakura had directed Ookami, Garou, Sunao and Urufu to create a protective circle around Amaya. She wouldn't need them in this battle; not yet, anyways. These men seemed to be hired thugs, though, so she knew it wouldn't be a problem dispatching them.

Sakura's green eyes burned as she threw a few hand signs together and smirked. "Run," she warned them, a twinkle in her eye.

The man with the katana laughed, and took a fighting stance. "Mitsuo, Ryuu, go grab the kid. I've got this."

Sakura's smile grew until her teeth were bared. "Big mistake," she whispered, and made the last hand sign.

Her own body shook at the force of the genjutsu that was thrust forward upon the men. In her years of training, Sakura had become a prodigy in genjustu. Kakashi had once said that her talents were to rival those of the slowly dispersing Kurama Clan, a fact that Sakura was proud of.

The ground below the men shook, and the deep roots of the tree line just behind them seemed to reach up through the earth to grab hold of anything that moved. Each man looked shocked, and slashed at the illusion grabbing at their limbs.

Sakura smirked and sprinted towards the closest man, the one with the katana who had dragged Amaya out by her hair. She pulled a few senbon from her kunai pouch and threw them at his arm, hitting the ligaments allowing his hand to grip his weapon. She hit her mark, and the katana flew to the ground a few yards away.

The roots appeared to wrap around him until he screamed in pain, his body experiencing the pain of being slowly crushed. Laughing, Sakura let the genjutsu attack his mind. The stress of the illusion could and would cause so much stress to his psyche that his body wouldn't be able to handle it much longer.

Attacking the other men as they sliced through each root that grabbed a hold of them, they were unprepared for the kunoichi to attack with her kunai at such close range. Sakura allowed her rage filled body to expel every tendril of fear and anger she had felt over the past two days.

No one violently touched her daughter and lived to tell the tale.

Sakura was so consumed in slowly torturing the two men, that she hadn't noticed the third shinobi had broken the genjustu's hold over him.

"Release," he ground out in a harsh groan, and pulled the senbon from his arm. The illusion fell away to leave only the stormy weather and broken ground. He tried to pick up his katana with his injured hand, but failed as his hand couldn't even make a fist.

Growling, the wolves took a few steps forward to the exposed man. He glanced up, and grinned. "Try to catch me, wolves," he snarled, and heaved his katana up with his useful hand.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura caught sight of the man and her eyes widened. ' _No_.'

"Ookami!" Sakura shouted, throwing her left hand out towards the man.

The wolf howled and charged at the man, but he seemed to dodge around the wolf with increased speed. Ookami turned on his hind feet, launching himself forward to latch onto the man's hip with his powerful jaws. The man gave a pained shout, and reached around to awkwardly attack the wolf attached to him.

Ookami didn't let go, even as the man began to pull forward, eventually slicing a large gash into the wolf's side. He let out a pained whine, but didn't release his grip.

The small distraction to Sakura's concentration was enough to break the genjustu's hold on the other two men, allowing them to dodge the senbon she had thrown at them. As she tried to regain control, Sakura felt her body begin to betray her.

Gasping, her legs gave out underneath her and she fell to the muddy earth.

Forty-eight hours without sleep, without rest, without stopping to replenish her chakra. Sakura had excellent chakra control, but there was still a limit to her abilities.

' _Damnit_ ,' she cursed internally, gazing between the two enemies before her and the threat making his way towards Amaya.

"Garou! Sunao!"

The wolves launched forward at the sound of their names, and converged on Ookami and his victim.

When Sakura snapped her gaze back to her own threat, she was met with three kunai embedding themselves in her front: one in her right shoulder, one in her stomach, and the other just above her heart.

With a cry, she fell back and gasped. She should have been able to handle these men, but her hot-temper, tired brain, and exhausted body had led her into a trap of her own doing.

"You nasty bitch," the man who had thrown the kunai shouted, eyes blazing and hands reaching for more kunai in his pouch. Sakura gripped the ones protruding from her torso and pulled them out, one by one, tossing them at the men in front of her.

She would have hit her mark, if it weren't for the shakiness that wracked her arms when they extended.

Unable to move, Sakura slumped over onto her knees and cast her gaze to search for her daughter. Amaya was in the same spot Sakura had left her, Hanta remaining unmoved around her daughter. Teeth bared, Hanta was prepared to defend her Alpha's daughter to her death.

Sakura was grateful, to each and every one the pack that fought for her.

Meeting Amaya's gaze, Sakura could see the fear in her daughter's amber orbs. Sakura forced a smile onto her face, trying to let her eyes convey comfort and love. "Momma loves you," she whispered as she heard the splash of footsteps running towards her.

Amaya's eyes widened as she took in her mother, and she wildly shook her head. " _No, no, no_!" she shouted, hands thrown up to grip her own silver and white hair. " _Mother, no_!"

And suddenly Sakura froze. Not because of the fact that she was about to die, or that her daughter was screaming in pain.

Amaya's eyes were emerald green, just as her mothers. Not amber. They had never been amber before.

Sakura's eyes widened as she opened her mouth to scream, realization enveloping Sakura. "Amaya, _no_!"

But it was too late as her daughter stretched her hands towards the two men running towards Sakura, and Sakura heard their footsteps stop.

Sakura snapped her head back to the men three feet before her, hands clenching their heads and tearing at their hair. Each Rain shinobi screamed in pain as they shook their heads, falling to their knees, and gagging. Their pale complexions quickly faded even more, leaving their skin almost bleached. Their veins were visible through their skin, slowly turning translucent before Sakura's eyes.

"Amaya, stop! _Stop_!" Sakura shouted, trying to get her daughters attention, but Amaya's gaze was fixed on the men who had kidnapped her.

Amaya's outstretched palms suddenly clenched, and the multiple loud cracks from in front of Sakura drew her attention. Blood splattered over Sakura's body, drenching her whole front in hot, sticky liquid.

Sakura opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Shock rolled through her body, and it was the last thing her body could handle before her vision faded to black.

' _Amaya_.'

Amaya's outstretched hands remained clenched as she sucked in ragged breaths, her vision stinging from the rain droplets dripping into her eyes. Her body had quit shaking, in favor of focusing its energy on self-preservation.

The seven-year-old watched as her mother slumped backwards into the mud, her body making a ' _splash'_ in the rain soaked field.

Ragged breath coming faster and faster, Amaya tried to calm her own heartbeat by closing her eyes and breathing. Her concentration was broken by the shout and howl from in front of her, though.

The wolves had gradually backed away from her, fear and hesitation in their eyes, which allowed for her remaining captor to run forward without any obstacles. Ookami laid motionless, blood pooling around him.

Amaya's eyes widened as she realized he was to close for her to defend herself, and she held her hands up as her only immediate defense. She waited for a strike that never came.

When she opened her eyes, Amaya was met with the dark form of a tall man standing before her. The rain ran down his cloak, black and covered in red clouds. Gazing around the figure, her eyes widened. Her attacker had fallen to his knees, throat slashed and blood running down his front. His katana had fallen to the ground as his hands had taken to his throat to try and stop the bleeding.

"You will not come into my realm bearing death without my allowance," the cloaked man murmured, watching as the other shinobi slumped to the ground lifelessly.

Amaya tried to keep herself from making noise, but she involuntarily let out a whimper.

The cloaked man turned his gaze to Amaya, and she tensed at his intense stare. He lowered his blood stained kunai, and turned to walk towards her.

She flinched when he stood over her, and Hanta stepped forward and snarled ferociously. When Amaya gripped Hanta's fur tightly, Hanta retreated to surround Amaya again. The she-wolf watched the man for any sign of movement.

Ringed eyes stared at the child before him, and his emotionless expression took in the scene around him.

"What is your name, child?" he asked, and focused his gaze back to the dirty, unkempt child in front of him.

Amaya looked up to take this new adversary in. His pointed, orange hair was slightly limp in the rain, and his face was covered in piercings. Three through the bridge of his nose, two in his bottom lip, and many more in his ears.

Amaya blinked the rain from her eyes, and when she opened them he was crouched down in front of her. She tensed, eyes widening.

His hand rose, and Hanta snapped at his out stretched palm.

" _Stop_ ," he demanded, and Hanta flinched. The power behind his voice commanded obedience, even though he was not her Alpha. She didn't move, but allowed her teeth to remain bared.

His out stretched palm turned to slowly wipe the wet hair from Amaya's face. He looked her over, and finally focused on her eyes. He caught the tail end of their change from amber to emerald green, before the child blinked away a few more raindrops from her eyes.

"Amaya Haruno," she whispered, her vision dotting with black. Before she faded, Amaya felt herself caught in this strange man's grasp. His hands wrapped around her small form and pulled her into his cloak.

"Please, don't let me go," she breathed, gripping the man's cloak.

Amaya let the warmth of his embrace seep into her cold body, before everything faded to black.

* * *

Thank you all for reading! Please review! Reviews make the world go round, and a silent reader is the bane of any writers existence. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate all of my readers, but I would LOVE to hear your input!

Thanks, again, everyone!

~Adoration.


	4. Beautiful Pain

_"I can feel the heat rising,_  
 _Everything is on fire,_  
 _Today is a painful reminder of why,_  
 _We can only get brighter,_  
 _The further you put it behind ya,_  
 _But right now I'm on the inside,_  
 _Lookin' out, cause,_

 _I'm standing in the flames,_  
 _It's a beautiful kind of pain,_  
 _Setting fire to yesterday,_  
 _Find the light, find the light, find the light."_

 _-Beautiful Pain, Eminem feat. Sia_

* * *

Chapter Four

The constant rainfall almost lulled Sakura back to sleep when she began to stir.

As much as she wished to doze off into oblivion, Sakura remained in the in-between state of sleep and consciousness. Finally, after annoyance set in at her inability to ignore her surroundings any longer, Sakura's eyes fluttered open.

The room she was met with was strikingly different than she had been expecting. Gasping, she sat up straight and immediately regretted the action. She clutched her head and groaned, grasping at her pink hair. She really had pushed it to far this time. But…

 _Amaya_.

Her eyes scanned the room, and the space was bare save for the matching furniture scattered here and there and the lone, closed door across from her bed.

 _Where am I?_ Sakura thought. _How…?_

The last thing the kunoichi remembered was watching the men in front of her be slaughtered by her daughter, then… nothing.

Thoroughly confused, and trying to suppress the onslaught of emotion that she couldn't seem to sense her daughter's chakra signature anywhere nearby, Sakura pushed the thick covers off of her and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Anything could have happened after she passed out. There had still been one enemy shinobi alive that Ookami had been trying to bring down, and Sakura hadn't been awake to contain her daughter's sudden rush of anger and chakra, regrettably.

Sakura pushed herself to feel further for her daughter's chakra signature, but came up with nothing. Where was she?

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sakura braced one hand on the side table and the other on the bed. She pushed herself up to her feet, grunting at the effort, and, taking a few breaths, stood straight. She could walk, after she stood for a moment, but Sakura pushed some chakra throughout her body to give herself an extra energy boost. For the time being, that was.

The room was bland. Nothing more than furniture, and, after a little exploring, a bathroom through a door to the right of the bed. Sakura found no clues as to where she was, which was frustrating as hell.

She ran her hands over the dark red tank top and black capris' she had woken up in, finally coming to stand in front of the door at the foot of her bed.

Twisting the knob, Sakura's stomach knotted when the door pulled open with ease. The industrial metal shouldn't have been unlocked, but it was. Which put Sakura on edge. She was, after all, near Amegakure. And nothing good ever came from the Rain Country.

The industrial hallway was cold, and the stone against Sakura's bare feet froze her feet like ice. Glancing up and down the corridor, Sakura moved to grab a kunai from her back pouch—

And realized she didn't have any weapons. She had none of her gear. Mentally she cursed herself, pursing her lips. How idiotic did she have to be to not have searched for her weapons before leaving the room? Glancing around once more, she started forward again.

She swallowed, and told herself she didn't need weapons to avoid and take down an enemy.

Slipping out of her room and down the hallway, Sakura made sure to tread lightly and remain hyper vigilant.

The hallway was bare, and the fact that she had made it this far from her room without some kind of conflict left a small flicker of hope that she would escape unscathed.

Sakura knew she shouldn't entertain hope in a situation like this, but it was a habit she couldn't shake from childhood. Hope always kept her going, whether she knew she was going to be hurt or not. And Sakura was hurt by hope more times than one.

The silence stretched out around her, her footsteps quieted by the small amount of chakra she pushed to her feet.

The silent, bare halls were unnerving to say the least.

The longer Sakura was in the open, the more on edge she became. She should have come across someone by now, no matter where she was. Not that she was wishing for an encounter, but still. Where _was_ she?

Passing through a few intersections of corridors, Sakura finally came to a halt just across the hall from a cracked door. Flickering light shone through the crack, and splayed across the cement floor.

Sakura glanced left and right down the corridor, and crossed to the only open door she'd come across.

Cocking her head, the kunoichi peered inside and laid eyes on a large fire that was blazing in an even larger fire place. Glancing around the room through the small crack, Sakura lightly pushed the door open, gradually, when her eyes didn't immediately land on a figure.

Stepping into the room, Sakura shivered involuntarily at the temperature change. Somehow the large fire managed to heat the room to a comfortable temperature, and Sakura wasn't about to complain.

Relaxing slightly, Sakura looked around her and found herself in a room much more furnished than the one she awoke in.

A four poster bed sat against the far right wall, which looked like it had never been slept in. A few dressers were against the wall to her left, and a couch sat before the fireplace. A large mirror hung above the fireplace, and books lined the shelf just underneath.

The room was large. Much larger than Sakura expected in the hallway. A large area rug covered the middle of the floor, and large bookshelves lined the far wall on either side of a balcony.

Stepping further into the room, Sakura strode towards the fire while glancing around her surroundings. The room was comfortable, but wasn't personalized much. She had been hoping to draw some kind of clues from the décor of the room, but there wasn't much to go on.

Coming to stand just behind the black couch, Sakura's eyes landed on a small figure curled up among the cushions.

The small figure was covered with a black cloak with red clouds, and Sakura momentarily panicked internally. But then she finally focused on the small figures snow white hair, and she couldn't help the sharp intake of breath.

"Amaya," she whispered, and practically ran around the couch to kneel next to her daughter.

Bringing a gentle hand up to push the stray locks of white hair from Amaya's face, Sakura smiled softly in relief. Amaya was breathing, she was unharmed, and she was safe.

But then reality began to sink in, and Sakura's hand moved to run over the cloak covering her daughter.

'Akatsuki,' Sakura thought, eyes widening as she slowly began to glance around the room. Every detail she ran through a fine tooth comb.

"She is safe," said a deep voice to her left, and Sakura's head snapped towards the balcony. No one stood there, but, akin to a rush a water, his chakra signature rammed itself into her.

He was strong, but she had to be stronger. If Sakura wanted to get her and her daughter out alive, she had to be.

Sakura, with one last lingering look at her daughter, slowly rose and came around the far edge of the couch. "It depends on your definition of safe."

"Hm," he replied in his deep, smooth voice.

As she walked towards the balcony, she knew she should have felt more….

What?

Fear, anger, on edge?

But Sakura only felt curious. Curious as to why this man hadn't harmed her or her daughter, and why she wasn't locked up in a room somewhere. First and foremost, why were they both here, safe in a building, when they should have been dead in a field at the edge of the Rain Country?

Finally broaching the opening of the balcony, Sakura stepped out into the chilly weather. The rain poured over the city before her, and Sakura could only look on in amazement at the tall, industrial buildings surrounding the balcony. There was a cover over the balcony which kept Sakura dry, but as she came closer to the railing small drops of water hit her arms.

"I'm in the Village Hidden by Rain, aren't I?" Sakura asked, finally glancing to her left and taking in the mysterious voice's form.

He sat on the railing, one leg arched while the other hung over the side. His cloak was together, hiding most of his features. But his face was distinguishable just behind the semi-high collar of the fabric.

His dark orange hair stood up in spikes, while his ringed eyes remained focused on the rain pouring down across the city. Sakura's eyes took in the piercings covering his face and ears, and she had to keep herself from reaching up to touch her own ears.

Sakura should have been afraid of him. She should have felt the warning in his strong demeanor. His presence was so palpable in the air, and his chakra seethed off of him. Sakura felt she could have cut it with a butter knife.

When his gaze turned to her, she felt the full weight of his authority and she had to resist the urge to take a step back.

Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, she met his gaze and then hurriedly looked away. She was unfamiliar with his eyes, but she knew that he had to hold some sort of Kekkei Genkai. Hoping that she hadn't screwed herself by meeting his gaze, she stood strong in front of him.

"You are," he stated, and Sakura could feel his gaze running over her. "Wishing that you were somewhere else?"

Sakura couldn't help that lackluster laugh that escaped her lips. The laugh was small, and humorless. She looked out over the city once more. "I thought I was dead. I wasn't expecting to wake at all."

Feeling no genjutsu surrounding her, Sakura chanced a glance at his face one more. She met his eyes, and held his gaze. "Why am I here?"

After a moment came his reply. "I found you at the edge of the city. Your daughter had just finished slaughtering the men who could have landed your killing blow. When you passed out, I stepped in," he replied, coming to stand before Sakura. "I do not allow unnecessary violence to plague my city."

He was tall, much taller than Sakura, and his height added to his intimidating aura.

Images of Amaya's amber eyes shining through the light mist as she clenched her fists assaulted Sakura's mind, and she looked away from the man before her.

Sakura unwillingly flinched when he took a step towards her, and she automatically took a step back.

"You're Akatsuki," Sakura stated, and clenched her fists at her sides. "Why did you step in at all?"

"I am," he said, suddenly standing just before her. He lifted his hand to take her chin into his grasp, and he forced her to look at him. Ignoring her question for the moment, he caught her gaze and held it.

Sakura began to involuntarily shiver, and he took notice of this. Letting her chin go, he strode past her and into the bedroom.

Heartbeat sprinting, Sakura took in a sharp breath and allowed her gaze to follow his. Staring into his eyes… She hadn't felt any danger to herself or Amaya when she knew she should.

Staring into his eyes… He wouldn't hurt them.

But he was Akatsuki, and Sakura had to trust that he was a dangerous criminal ready to attack she and Amaya at any moment.

Following him as he came to stand in front of the fire, Sakura pursed her lips.

"You're Akatsuki."

"You said that already."

Narrowing her eyes, she placed her hands on her hips.

"You could have killed us. You could have killed me. Why am I here? And who are you?"

His right hand grasped at the shelf above the fireplace and he leaned against it, staring into the fire.

"Are you so sure I'm not going to kill you now?" he asked, throwing a look over his shoulder. "Or as soon as you walk out that door?"

Sakura's body went rigid, and she bit her lip. No, she wasn't sure. She entertained hope, but knew that she was easily let down.

"Like you said," she said slowly, unsure of his next move now. "You don't allow unnecessary violence."

Silence follow, and he turned his gaze back to the fire. "Killing you would be unnecessary."

Sakura was unsure of whether his statement was a question or a declaration. Either way, Sakura's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.

"What do you want from us?" Sakura asked slowly, eyes narrowing.

Silence, and then, "I want you to leave and never return here. I want you to forget that you ever were ever here, but I know that isn't possible. You are a leaf shinobi, and always feel the need to stick your nose where you shouldn't."

His hand fell to his side, and as he turned he landed Sakura with a cold stare. "Your village disgusts me. I would love nothing more to kill you for being who you are, but I do hold myself to certain morals."

He was in front of Sakura in an instant. She gasped and raised her fist to strike out, but he caught her wrist before it had a chance to venture near him.

His grip was tight, and Sakura flinched in pain.

Grabbing her chin with his other hand, he gently lifted her gaze to him once more. Sakura's bright green eyes fell on his ringed gaze, and suddenly Sakura couldn't move. Whether from fear of this strong presence before her, or from determination to defend her daughter a little ways away from them, Sakura couldn't discern her emotions.

"I cannot trust that you will return on your own. And besides, I haven't yet decided whether I could use your daughters talents or not."

Eyes widening, Sakura sucked in a sharp breath. She spat into his face, and wrenched her chin from his grasp. She felt rewarded when he flinched and pushed her forcefully backward.

"You will do no such thing," she snarled, eyes suddenly hostile and body ready for an attack.

Sakura caught sight of his narrowed eyes just before she felt the cool press of sharp metal at her neck.

"You would do well to learn your place here," came his voice just behind her. Sakura felt the press of his body against her back, and her eyes narrowed.

"I don't have a place in the Akatsuki," she sneered, throwing her head backward. She was rewarded when her thrust hit his chin, and she followed up by pushing chakra into her right elbow and jamming it backward into his chest.

He had become too cocky, and it got the best of him.

Sakura whipped her head to the side to avoid her throat being slashed by the kunai. When she turned, he crashed into the bed which broke upon impact.

When he stood his eyes were blazing with heat and calculation.

"If you want my daughter you'll have walk over my cold, dead body to get her."

When he tossed the kunai in her direction, she pushed chakra to her feet to avoid it. She failed to realize that the kunai had been a distraction, and suddenly a force threw her back into the wall.

Gasping for air, Sakura fell forward and threw herself towards the fireplace. Her aim had been for the fire poker, but before she could scramble any closer another wave of force threw into the hearth of the fireplace. Her legs landed partially in the fire, and she scrambled backward with a shout of pain.

Sakura quickly patted her legs, which were an angry red. Her hands stung as she quickly took to her feet, but the Akatsuki man was already there. His hand wound around her throat and he lifted her off of her feet, clenching his hand tightly. Her hands grabbed at his, and before he could realize the chakra strength she pushed into her hands his wrist was already broken.

Dropping Sakura, whirled her leg around to knock him off of his feet. When he hit the ground, she was already in position with her fists aiming for his head. He quickly rolled to the right, avoiding her hit. Her fist made a large crater in the floor. Before he could move any further, though, Sakura crouched and threw herself into her enemy. He was pushed back onto the balcony, but just as Sakura had finished making the hand signs for a genjutsu—

"Almighty Push," Pain murmured, and Sakura, once again, was thrown back into the wall adjacent to the balcony. Hitting her head rather hard, Sakura blacked out for only a moment.

When she opened her eyes she had to blink a few times to register the scene before her. The man's hands were cocked back, ready to throw the six kunai aimed for Sakura, but Amaya had stepped between she and the Akatsuki member.

"Stop," she said, her small hands clutched at her side. Sakura couldn't see her daughter's face, but she was sure if Amaya turned around she would see the familiar, stubborn expression there.

"Amaya, move!" Sakura shouted, images of the six kunai hitting her child wracking her brain. "Now!"

Shaking her head wildly, Amaya hugged her arms around herself. "Please, stop! Pain, she's all I have! Please!"

Silence.

Sakura could have heard a pin drop.

Eyes wide, Sakura knew who stood before her. The file had never had a photo, but she had studied what they did know of him.

Pain. A Hidden Rain shinobi gone rogue. Leader of the Akatsuki. He had killed Master Jiraiya, and lead the attack on the Tailed Beasts.

God, this was the man she had been in the same building with for God only knew how many days? She had found Amaya sleeping on his couch, for goodness sake.

When Sakura focused again, Pain was in the process of lowering his hands and relaxing his stance.

"You helped me. Please help my Mom," Amaya whispered, and Pain froze. Eyes focused on the small child, Sakura couldn't help but worry for her daughter.

"Amaya, come here. Get behind me," Sakura commanded, but she was met with defiance.

"No, Momma," she said louder, shaking her head. She spun towards Sakura, and threw out her hand. "He helped us, and then you hurt him. You always tell me that you're at the hospital healing people. He was healing us. Don't hurt him. _He was helping us_."

Sakura's mouth dropped open as Amaya's raised voice registered. Sakura's eyebrows knitted together in anger, because how dare Amaya speak to her like that. But as Pain shifted to drop the kunai into the pouch at his hip, Sakura focused on the real enemy.

Pain wasn't looking at either of them anymore as he strode forward, and Amaya looked over her shoulder as he approached her.

"Don't you dare touch her," Sakura finally spoke, eyes narrowed to slits as she delivered her threat.

Pausing, his gaze seem to turn contemplative. Suddenly, he turned his back to the pair and made his way to the balcony. "You are free to wander around the building. But I will know if you try to escape." Pausing as he came to the railing, he gazed over his shoulder. His eyes caught Sakura's stare, and he held her gaze. "Do not test me. I was not trying to hurt you permanently. Next time, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Amaya strode over to her mother, arms snaking around her neck. Sakura winced, but pulled her daughter close. Her eyes remained on Pain.

Standing with Amaya in her arms, Sakura backed through the open doorway and into the hallway.

Had her daughter really stayed the hand of the infamous Akatsuki leader? As she gazed down at Amaya, Sakura decided that she couldn't have. At only seven, her daughter held no sway over the man.

The Akatsuki leader wanted her daughter, and Sakura was determined, one way or the other, to convince him otherwise. Whatever it took, she would protect Amaya with her heart, mind, body, and soul. No questions asked.

But as Sakura found herself venturing back to the room that she woke up in, she finally took in the reality of the situation. Amaya and she were trapped here, with the leader of the Akatsuki a few minutes down the hall with who knows who else in the building.

Sakura would have no choice but to do as Pain said. Amaya's future and life rested in the decisions Sakura made, and Sakura was not about to let her daughter's fate be ruled by the Akatsuki.

She would play Pain's game, she would follow his rules, but as soon as an opportunity arose she would make sure he never laid a hand on her daughter for as long as she lived.

* * *

Sorry about the lateness in this post. I just started school again, and college classes aren't the most forgiving when it comes to having a social life. Haha.

I hope you enjoyed. Please REVIEW if you liked it, or even if you hated it! I'm going to try and crank out the chapters from here.

Thanks guys!

~Adoration.


	5. Uncover

_"Put two and to-gether, for-ever will never change,_  
 _Two and to-gether will never change,_  
 _Nobody sees, nobody knows,_  
 _We are a secret, can't be exposed,_  
 _That's how it is, that's how it goes,_  
 _Far from the others, close to each other,_  
 _That's when we uncover."_

 _-Uncover, Zara Larsson_

* * *

Chapter Five

 _Three Weeks Previous_

The rain was long overdue in the Hidden Leaf village, so while Sakura was walking through the village market she wasted no time cursing the weather.

The market wasn't overly crowded, but the weather hadn't stopped most people from venturing out on their daily errands.

Navigating through the people littering the streets, Sakura hugged her red cloak tighter around her. The air wasn't chilly, but Sakura found herself shivering. Lost in deep thought, Sakura could only stare at the ground as she walked. Feet splashed through puddles, water droplets splashed off of the cement, and water dripped down her cloak.

Red.

A strange color for Sakura to choose. Normally, her life was filled with greens and blues. Something pink and purple thrown in from time to time. But ever since she had settled down with Amaya red had become an angry, battle born color.

And Sakura wanted nothing more to do with battle. Being in it or a part of it.

Some would say that working at the hospital meant being a part of the war, but that was far from the truth. Working in the field, yes. But Sakura worked with injured people whom were results and casualties of the war in the village. And many were mere citizens. She dealt with the aftermath, and that was enough for Sakura.

Ever since Kohaku's death seven years previous Sakura vowed to never return to the battle field. Not for anything. But, after some thought, Sakura would return for one reason.

Amaya.

But Amaya was safe in the village, with no harm to come to her.

Sakura sighed at the thought of her late husband, though, and couldn't help the warmth that bloomed through her body cavity.

Kohaku had been the love of her life. The time she had spent with him felt like years, even though it was mere months. Not enough time, but he had given Sakura so much happiness. And continued to give her that happiness through Amaya.

Kohaku Nakamura.

The man had been such a mystery to Sakura, even as she was paired up in the same ANBU team with him. It wasn't until he had been seriously wounded trying to save Sakura that she finally got to peel back his layers and discover the man beneath.

Kohaku Nakamura hadn't even been his real name; the name was given to him when he became a refugee within the village.

But that was what Sakura had always know him as, and when he trusted her with his real name it was the last time he requested of her to even speak it. Ren Kohaku was a ghost, and the name died along with his village.

The Kohaku clan lived in a small village in the Land of Fire that bordered the Village Hidden by Rain. The village had been destroyed during an attack on the Hokage, and there had been only one survivor. Ren was seven when he was brought to the village for medical care, and the village had taken him in as a refugee of war.

There were stipulations, though. Ren had hesitated in telling even Sakura of the contract he had to sign when he came of age, detailing the events that would happen to him if he were to ever use his villages Kekkei Genkai.

Ketsueki Ririsu; Blood Release.

Not only were the Kohaku valuable in battle for their abilities, but the members were also valued for their medical skills. Being able to control, manipulate, and wield power over the very source of life in the human body wasn't something to be trifled with, and the village knew this. It was their ability that gave them their respect, but also the ability that had been used against the Hidden Leaf in battle.

When the village was slaughtered, the shinobi that led the attack on the Hokage resurrected the clan through a forbidden Jutsu. Using the dead, mangled bodies of the former clan the enemy shinobi wreaked havoc in battle.

When Ren arrived, all the respect and admiration that had been given to the clan had been wiped away. In its place remained fear and hatred. Of course, the attack, battle, and village massacre had been shielded from the public, and Ren's true identity and lineage remained with him and those whom he signed the contract with.

And then there was Sakura, who never spoke a word. Not to anyone after Ren told her. After that conversation, Ren Kohaku died and Kohaku Nakamura remained. The name had been given to him when he came to the village, his first name serving to remind him of the strife he had suffered and the lineage he left behind.

When Kohaku died, the information should had died with him. But Sakura knew everything and it became a burden that weighed on her shoulders to this very day. The knowledge of the Kekkei Genkai was always present with Sakura looked at her daughter. Sakura knew that one day the ability would arise, and she would have to shield her daughter from those who may want to use her. Shield her from those who would want to hide her away. Shield her from a life where other's decided for her.

But Sakura, hopefully, had a long time before she had to worry about those situations.

Avoiding a particularly large puddle, Sakura arrived at the school in time to see her daughter pulling on her jacket and gathering her things through the window.

Amaya was Sakura's life, and was the legacy that Kohaku never thought he would leave. She could remember a conversation she had had with Kohaku, one where he stated he wanted children. He had told Sakura that if he were to ever be blessed with a child that he would seal the Kekkei Genkai within them. So strongly that the child would have no hope of passing on the genes, if that were possible.

Yet as Sakura looked upon her daughter, she couldn't bring herself to wish that same fate upon Amaya. Sakura knew that if Amaya possessed the ability that Sakura would do everything in her power to help Amaya wield her ability in a way that would bring respect back to her clan. She would ensure that Amaya be an asset, and not something to be shielded away from society.

But that was a long way off. Kohaku had never gained the Kekkei Genkai. Even when he died, at age twenty-one, he had never felt any power rise up in him.

Amaya had a long ways to go, and she was better for it.

 _Present_

The rain beat down around Sakura as she stared through the window at her daughter, who was attempting to persuade Konan into purchasing a cute pair of boots. Konan's arms were crossed as her eyebrow raised in speculation, and when she shook her head Amaya looked defeated. The boots were stylish yet functional, and Amaya knew how to pick both.

Sakura, from the very beginning, had taught her daughter not to want after the useless things in life. Everything had a purpose, and everything served some sort of usefulness.

Grinning, Sakura pushed her way into the clothing shop and was met with Konan's surprised look.

"What are you doing here?" asked Konan, narrowing her eyes.

Sakura shrugged underneath the red, plain cloak she wore. "He allowed me out for the day."

Smiling, Sakura kneeled to hug her daughter when Amaya ran over to her.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, eyes bright despite the weather outside. Her snow white hair hung around her face, cascading over her shoulders. She would need a haircut soon, but Sakura couldn't bear to cut it.

"Hey baby," Sakura cooed, standing and taking the pair of boots in her hand. "I'll get these for you. You go and look for some new clothes. Nothing to fancy or expensive, though. Go on."

When Amaya nodded and walked off in search of clothing, Sakura turned to Konan and smiled lightly. "He really did let me out for a while," she confirmed when the woman looked skeptical. "I got away with the excuse that I needed to shop for my own clothing. Tank tops and sweat pants weren't enough anymore, and there's no way that I'm fitting into your clothes."

Konan's eyes narrowed, but then she sighed. Chancing a smile of her own, Konan nodded and even chuckled a little.

"Alright, then," Konan said, turning to the clothing racks. "Let's get you looking good again."

Sakura nodded, and began searching along side Konan.

When they had met Sakura had believed the woman to be cold-hearted and callous, just like her partner. But there was a side to Konan that came out when she and Amaya were alone together, and Sakura had happened to come across the pair one night when Amaya couldn't sleep. Amaya had wandered into Konan's study room one night, and observed her creating living origami. Ever since then, Amaya was hooked on trying to create her own origami to impress Konan.

In the two weeks that Amaya and she had been trapped under Pain's watchful eye, Amaya hadn't once picked up on the fact that they were prisoners to Pain and Konan. No ill will had befallen either of them, and Sakura was beginning to wonder, herself, when the actual trouble was going to begin in their stay here. So far, Pain had left them to themselves. Save for the small conversation between him and Sakura here and there, Sakura remained in her room, the library, or the kitchen. Those were the safe places, where she knew that she wouldn't encounter him.

There was a tension in the air when the two were in the same vicinity, Pain and Sakura. And Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on it. Whether it was from the fight that had broken out between them when they first met, or the fact that he wanted to take her daughter away for his own personal use, Sakura couldn't quite figure it out.

All she knew was that the less she saw of Pain, the better.

Konan was another story.

The woman had been cold at first, but when confronted with Amaya in the same room the woman had folded. No pun intended.

Konan was a sweet woman on the inside, forced to become a harsh, cold woman by situation and circumstance. Sakura loved the woman's presence, and never once found herself avoiding the woman's presence.

"What about this?" Konan asked, holding out a yellow maxi dress. Looking from the dress to Sakura, she scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "On second thought, no. Yellow looks terrible with your skin tone."

"It washes me out," Sakura confirmed, nodding at Konan's conclusion. "I prefer greens or blues, but I grew up with a pink and red wardrobe. So really, anything that's not to light."

"Well, you have pink hair. It would be cruel to dress you up in all pink," replied Konan, laughing a little to herself. "Just like there is no way I would dress in all purple."

"Agreed."

Pushing through a few more articles on the hangar rack, Sakura pulled out a flowing, royal blue maxi dress with a white zig-zagging design below the waist. The sleeves were long, and the dress wasn't flashy. A casual thing to wear, and it was much better than the sweat pants and tank top.

Konan looked over, smiled, and nodded. "Pretty. You need to try it on."

Smiling, and relishing in the fact that she could find nice clothing here in a tiny shop such as this, Sakura hung the dress over her arm and continued her search.

After finding a few more dresses and some more functional clothing, with Konan's help, Sakura found her daughter with a hefty pile of clothes thrown over her small arm.

"Come on, munchkin," Konan said, taking Amaya's clothing choices into her arms and led both of them to the dressing room.

"Alright," Konan said to Sakura, waving her hands for the woman to go first. "Go on! 'Wow' me with your choices."

"Me, too!" agreed Amaya, crossing her legs Indian style in the chair she sat in.

As Sakura came out with each choice on, she was happy that everything fit the way it should. Some better than she expected. After having Amaya her body had filled out a little bit more, but in all the right places. Her hips and breasts were larger, and, after a lot of exercise, her waistline retreated to the size she had been before having a child.

In all, Sakura decided to buy everything she and Konan had picked out. When her mother was done, Amaya jumped up with a bright smile. "My turn!" she exclaimed, grinning as she dragged all of her choices into the dressing room.

Konan and Sakura laughed, and sat back for a show. Some of the clothes that Amaya had chosen were fun, but not functional. Some resembled those that Sakura had chosen, and she couldn't help but think that Amaya had been watching Konan and she.

At the end of the 'fashion show' as Amaya called it, Sakura plucked a few items that were either too big or too old for Amaya. Her daughter had done a fine job shopping on her own, and Sakura felt a little pride sink into her bones.

After paying for their items, Sakura shouldered the bags. Konan grabbed a few, and the three walked down the street back towards the tower.

When she looked up, Sakura couldn't believe how tall the tower was compared to the others. It had to be the tallest in the city, but Sakura and Amaya were housed somewhere towards the middle. Only Pain and Konan were permitted to the top, and Sakura was okay with that.

As the rain beat down even harder, all of a sudden, Sakura felt something coil in her stomach. "We should get back," she finally said, pulling her hood further over her head and picking up a slight pace.

Konan's eyes narrowed, though, as she kept pace with Sakura. "I wonder what has Pain so riled up," she whispered, glancing at Sakura.

Sakura didn't meet her gaze.

Amaya skipped through the puddles ahead of them, and somehow managed to remain completely dry as they approached the gate at the entrance to the tower. Konan made a few hand signs which allowed them entrance to the building. Ushering them inside, Konan closed the gate behind them and stripped of her cloak.

Hanging both Amaya and her own cloak against the wall of the hooks, Sakura picked the bags up and made her way towards the stairs. Of course elevators weren't present in the building, and Sakura had found that out after her perusal of the building during her captivity.

Konan followed them, a few bags in her hands.

When they reached the floor that held Amaya and Sakura's room, Sakura was glad for it. All the walking through town, and then the trek us the stairs, left her a little out of breath.

To get to the corridor that led to their room, the group had to cross through a commons room. The room held a few couches situated around the large fireplace, and some surrounding a large television in the corner. There were bookshelves lining the walls, and the room was lightly lit with lights and candles.

"Sakura Haruno," Pain said from his position on the couch in front of the fireplace.

Sakura flinched, and slowed to a stop just before the corridor. Konan slowly walked around Amaya and she, and when Sakura met her gaze Konan's eyes held questions. Narrowing her gaze, Konan took the bags from Sakura and took Amaya's hand.

"Come, let's go get your clothes washed and folded. Your mother needs to speak with Pain for a time," Konan said to Amaya, leading her down the hallway. Amaya remained unaware of the growing tension as she left the room, and Sakura was thankful for her daughter's inability to see the bad in people.

Sakura remained where she was as the door closed while she waited for Pain's anger to reach her.

"Come here," he finally spoke, deep voice rigid and contemplative. "Now, Sakura."

Sakura slowly spun on her heels and strode to stand just behind the couch. She stared into the fire, watching the flames lick and engulf the logs placed there.

"You left," Pain said, tone a matter of fact.

"I left to go with Amaya," Sakura replied, placing her hands on the back of the couch.

"You asked me, in a hypothetical situation, what I would do if you left to go to the coffee shop across the street. You did not ask me if you could leave to join Konan and Amaya. You did not ask me if you could leave at all."

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat, but felt no need to apologize for her actions. "In defense, you did say with your permission that it would be alright if I was accompanied by someone. I just tweaked the situation a little bit. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Sakura replied, tone strong with conviction. She had been accompanied by Konan, at least when she had arrived after the fifteen minute walk to the shop in downtown. For that fifteen minutes she was alone, but still. It was fifteen minutes. What harm was that?

"No," Pain said, abruptly standing and turning to stare at Sakura. His eyes met her gaze, which she tried so hard to avoid. "It's not better."

Sakura flinched, and took a step back. She shouldn't be afraid of Pain, but over the past few weeks she had learned just how strong he was. He was someone that she didn't want to be alone with again, but that couldn't be helped.

"You send my daughter out with Konan, and you expect me to be okay with that? No. I should be the one taking my daughter the places she needs to go, not your partner," Sakura angrily spat, jade green eyes narrowed.

Coming around the couch, Pain stood in front of Sakura. "I've said this before and I will say it again. I don't think you understand just how trapped you are here. Do you realize that I can feel every movement you or anyone makes in this rain? This rain is created by me and controlled by me, and there was no way you could have gotten away with this."

Crossing her arms in defiance, Sakura pursed her lips. "Good, then you already know that I left and headed straight for Konan and Amaya," Sakura snapped, taking her outstretched finger and tapping at his chest in an aggravated manner. "I don't think _you_ understand what you have here. Amaya is my child, and I will do anything to protect her. If that means playing your games and following your rules, then so be it. But I refuse to be treated like a human being one second, and a prisoner of war the next."

Pain grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. He bent down to stare directly into her eyes, and the anger on his face was visible unlike usual. " _You test me too much_ ," he snarled, grip tightening.

Sakura's eyes widened, but her expression remained the same. As she took in his anger, her heart fluttered. He was normally such a cold statue, but seeing the anger on his face made his features that more attractive.

Whoa.

Where that that come from?

It was true, though. Sakura could finally appreciate his features up close, and she couldn't help but find him attractive. The piercings only added to his appearance.

Her mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. She bit her lip, but couldn't tear her eyes away from him. His scent washed over her at his closeness, and Sakura basked in it. There was a musky, delicious scent mixed with cinnamon and mint. It was intoxicating. It was unforgettable. It was pure Pain.

When he let her wrist go and stood back straight, Sakura couldn't help the small breath that escaped her that she had been holding. He turned his back on her, and moved to exit the room through the main staircase.

"You want to take my daughter away from me," Sakura finally said, her voice not as strong as she hoped it would be. "You want to use her for her abilities, but you can't. I won't allow it."

Pain paused, and turned. His ringed eyes always held her gaze, and this time she couldn't help but fixate her gaze on his entire expression. He really was handsome.

"I intend to keep her safely within the Akatsuki's grasp. A power like that cannot fall into the wrong hands."

Sakura scoffed, and let her arms fall to her sides. " _You_ are the wrong hands. Any hands that intend to use my daughter are the _wrong hands."_

"Here she is safe. Can you say the same for your own village? Your own home?" Pain asked, voice raised.

Sakura meant to answer his question, but she hesitated. Finally, she declined to speak at all because Pain was right. Here, Pain watched over her constantly. Watched over the both of them constantly. Not even Ino, her godmother, had kept her safe for a few hours. Pain had kept them safe, fed, and sheltered for weeks.

Sakura swallowed and pushed the thoughts from her mind. "It doesn't matter where she is safe. I will protect her with my life."

Pain stepped closed. "And what if you return and you are killed? What then? The same people who failed to protect her from being kidnapped will watch over her, and she will suffer."

Sakura's eyes widened as he spoke her thoughts, and she finally looked away. She cursed herself for showing him he was right, but she closed her eyes and refused to look at him.

"Your daughter will suffer for being different, for not being understood. You understand her, anyone can see that. You know her lineage. No one else does. No one else can teach her the way you can," Pain continued, and Sakura could feel his eyes on her. She kept her eyes closed, and held a picture of Amaya there. She was happy with Shikamaru and Ino.

But then the image turned, and she saw Ino's beaten form at the hospital. Shikamaru's concern for his wife, and solely for his wife.

"Stop," Sakura whispered.

"She will suffer, and you will have caused it. You died leaving her nothing. You died leaving her to the very people that would judge her. And what do you think your village would do once she accidentally kills those around her one day?"

As his smooth, deep voice weaved images in her mind Sakura could feel the dread pooling in her stomach.

"Stop!" Sakura finally shouted when he continued, and she finally lifted her gaze to meet his. Tears pooled in her eyes, and her fists clenched.

"How was I supposed to know that her Kekkei Genkai would show up now? Her father never even felt a wisp of power before he died. Suddenly, Amaya is killing without even knowing how she does it? She's _seven_. Too young to even understand that she's being held captive by an organization out to destroy the world!" Sakura shouted, throwing her arms up. "Yet she can kill without a moment's notice and still see the good in a situation."

Sakura threw her finger out towards the door that led to where Konan had taken Amaya. "That girl, my daughter, is stronger than I could _ever_ have imagined. She hasn't shed a tear since we have gotten here, even though she knows _something_ is going on. She deserves to be understood, not taken advantage of by someone like _you_."

"And what am I to you, Sakura? Someone aiming to 'destroy the world,' as you said?" Pain asked, arms opening to either side of him. "I am not some mere fool with a dream. I am someone who takes hold of reality and imparts my will upon humanity. I am a powerful man, so powerful that this whole city knows me as a _God_. Yet I bring myself down to the same level as a fool for saving you both. I could have watched you die, and I would have enjoyed it. But then Amaya would have been an orphan of war, and I cannot bear to see that."

Sakura blinked, and then blinked again. Had he… cared for Amaya's well-being?

"You saw her potential and saved her to use her for your own will," Sakura said, but her voice was suddenly hesitant. So, so hesitant.

Pain was silent.

"I saved her from a life that isn't worth living. I saved her from a path that she should never have to walk," Pain said slowly, jaw clenched tight.

Sakura looked at the man before her and _really_ looked at him.

"You saved her from becoming an orphan of war," Sakura said, slowly, but surely. "You saved me, too."

Pain turned away from Sakura, and when the door slammed behind him she flinched.

Sakura replayed his words in her mind, and she was hesitant to believe that he had wanted to save her. Yet he did, and he had done it for Amaya's sake.

Pain hadn't even known her daughter, yet he wanted to save her from a fate that befell so many children these days. Inadvertently, he had saved Sakura too.

And whether he wanted to or not, if he wanted to keep Amaya from befalling that fate which he spoke of he would have to keep Sakura safe too.

Pain didn't want to use her daughter, he wanted to protect her. And to him, that meant keeping her here shielded from the world.

That was where Sakura and he differed: Sakura wanted to see her daughter thrive in the world, and make the world a better place to live. Yet she had no idea where to begin. She had no clue where to start in teaching her daughter to control her abilities.

There was idea forming in Sakura's mind that she began to throw away, but as she fixated her gaze on the door that had slammed mere moments before she entertained the thought.

Pain and she shared the same views in one instance: Amaya's safety. And Sakura was determined to find out how he intended to keep her daughter safe, because Sakura was as lost as lost could be.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed chapter five! I tried to give a little more information about Amaya's father, Kohaku (AKA Ren), and her lineage. The Kohaku clan is a real clan in the Naruto universe, but I did make up the Kekkei Genkai portion of it. They were massacred in an attack on the Hokage, and were risen to fight as zombie's. (Via Narutopedia.)

Please REVIEW! Reviews help motivate me!

~Adoration 3


	6. Not Alone

_"Slowly fading away, you're lost and so afraid,_  
 _Where is the hope in a world so cold?_  
 _Looking for a distant light, someone who can save a life,_  
 _Living in fear that no one will hear your cry._

 _I am with you, I will carry you through it all,_  
 _I won't leave you, I will catch you when you feel like letting go,_  
 _'Cause you're not, you're not alone."_

 _-Not Alone, Red_

* * *

Chapter Six

Sakura was not a woman who asked for help. Even if her life depended on it. She had spent too much of her life as a useless kunoichi who was dragged along behind more skilled team members. That uselessness had stopped when her search for Sasuke had stopped, and the new chapter of her life began.

Sakura was not a woman who asked for help for _herself_ , but her daughter was another story. When Sakura became a parent she began to understand the undying love that parents always spoke of. Not only would she die for Amaya, she would kill whoever threatened her daughter's safety.

For the past two weeks, Sakura had thought she was going to need a miracle to take down Pain and Konan to get away. Konan proved that she meant no harm to Amaya and she, but she was a part of the Akatsuki. She would follow orders, no matter how painful. Sakura was sure of it.

Pain had been another story. Up until yesterday, that is.

Sakura sat in the library, a pile of books on the floor at her feet and to her right on a side table. The small amount of light given off by the table light was enough to read by, so Sakura didn't worry about getting up to turn on the overhead light.

The library was a decent size. It was situated in one of the larger rooms of the building, about six times the size of her room. It was a room Sakura spent most of her time in when Amaya was napping, or even when she was awake and wanted to read something of her own.

It was funny to watch her daughter pretend to read just like her mother, only to turn her nose up at the scholarly articles and then roam to try and find some children stories. Most of the time Amaya flipped through books for their pictures, but mainly she wanted to spend time in the same room as her mother.

Back home, Sakura worked. A lot. So Amaya would only see her in the early morning before school, or late at night when Sakura returned from her long shifts. Now, the two were around each other twenty-four seven. Save for the times Amaya spent napping, Sakura always had an eye on her daughter.

It was a blessing, but also a curse. They spent time together trapped here under Pain's careful watch, but Amaya was going stir crazy. Sakura was, too. Not being able to go outside was weighing on the both of them. And whenever they got a peek outside through one of the few windows in the complex the rain was always running rampant. There was only one day when the rain stopped, and that was Sunday.

Flipping through the medical journal, Sakura couldn't focus on the article at hand. When she had first come across the library she had been ecstatic. The library held books that she'd never dreamed of reading—books with medical methods that she had only heard about it stories. But thoughts of Pain clouded her mind, and not solely for the reasons she expected.

He was handsome; so handsome that Sakura hadn't been able to get the image of his angry face so close to hers out of her mind since yesterday afternoon. His features were so chiseled, and she longed to see what was under that cloak he wore every moment of the day.

Sakura had to stop her imagination from running wild.

'Stockholm syndrome, much?' she thought, and closed the book in her hands.

There was one conducive thought that managed to involve Pain, though, and that was the crazy idea that had plagued Sakura since they had spoken last. Pain cared for her daughter, for reasons she couldn't imagine. Previously, Sakura had only believed that he meant to steal her daughter away and train her to live out the Akatsuki's plans.

But Sakura now knew she was wrong.

Pain meant to keep her daughter safe, and that meant, inadvertently, keeping Sakura safe as well. If Sakura could get a moment alone with him to ask him, to be sure of his intent, then maybe she could ensure her daughter's well-being.

Setting the book on the stack next to her feet, Sakura stood and huffed to herself. What in the world was she doing? She was breaking the one rule Pain had emphasized to her, that's what.

'Never follow me to the top level,' he had said, but, in Sakura's defense, she wasn't following anyone. She was hiking up the tall staircase of her own agenda.

Like _that_ would pacify him.

But Sakura needed to know. She needed to know what he was intending before she was gone too long from Konoha.

Amaya was sleeping, and she wouldn't be awake for a while. Hopefully. But when Sakura pushed her way through the doors to the main staircase, she buried those worries deep down.

The trek up the stairs would have taken forever if she hadn't pushed some chakra to her feet and taken the steps two at a time at a sprint. When she came to the last turn, though, and the last level of stairs she paused. Now, Sakura wished she would have given herself that extra time to think of what to say, because she stood before the steps with a blank mind.

'Crap,' she thought, silently sighing to herself. But, before she could take a step back, she forced herself up the last leg of the journey and came to stand atop the top level. The stairs let out to a large, bare room. The rain had created puddles just inside the balcony, and the tall ceilings didn't help Sakura calm her nerves. The room appeared to be a tall cavern atop the rest of the building, and Pain was nowhere to be seen.

Sakura was going to be pissed if she had trekked all the way here only for him to be gone. She took a few steps forward, heading towards the balcony. She glanced around the room, but there wasn't much to look at.

When she arrived on the balcony, the rain ahead of her was a slow and steady drizzle. That was what she focused on when she felt his very large, and very powerful, chakra signature accompany the 'thump' above her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, and trying not to freeze up to much, Sakura pushed herself forward to grip the railing. She leaned there, waiting for him to speak.

There was a rush of air behind her as he jumped to the balcony, and Sakura tensed up slightly in preparation for a hit. An attack. Something done in anger at her disobedience.

But there was only silence.

She could feel him come closer, but her eyes remained focused on the rain. When she could feel the slight press of his body behind her, she jumped, but realized she was suddenly caged against the balcony. His hands gripped the balcony on either side of her smaller hands, and his body remained just behind hers. Barely touching her, his cloak was the only thing that was flush against her.

Chancing a small glance behind her, she could finally appreciate how tall he was. He could have easily settled his chin against the top of her head and been comfortable, even though he didn't. His cloak was open to expose the shinobi clothing beneath. The clothes were looser than Sakura's imagination had thought up, but she could still tell that hard planes of muscle were there. Inches away from her small, fragile body.

"You don't listen very well, do you?" Pain's deep voice rumbled, his hands clenching the railing.

Sakura swallowed, throwing her gaze back over the railing. The city was sprawled out before her, and she suddenly had a better appreciation for why Pain spent most of his time on the top level. One could see for miles atop the building.

"Nope," Sakura replied simply, biting her lip. "It's almost like you beg me to break your rules, though."

"Oh?" Pain replied, his voice suddenly so very near to her ear. "How so?"

"Well," Sakura started, trying very hard not to let a shiver wrack her small frame at the warmth of his breath on her ear and neck. "You _did_ say not to _follow_ you up here. I came of my _own_ accord."

A low rumble reverberated through his chest, and Sakura realized that he was laughing. It was slight, and short, but it was there.

This was definitely not what she was expecting.

When his arms retreated from their cage around her, her first reaction was a longing for his barely there touch to return. Then, she remembered exactly why she had braved the journey here in the first place.

Clearing her throat, Sakura turned slowly while still remaining against the railing. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she met his narrowed gaze. Tempered anger remained in his gaze, and Sakura was comforted with the fact. She didn't feel as crazy now.

"Well?" Pain asked, hands extended out in question. "Are you going to waste my time, or are you going to say what you came here to say?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms. How rude, she was getting to it if he could just be patient.

"Yesterday you said you wanted to keep Amaya safe—"

"I never said that," Pain interrupted, voice suddenly guarded and careful.

"Yes," Sakura snapped, annoyed at the interruption. "You did. You said something along the lines of 'I brought myself down to the level of a fool for saving you both, to keep Amaya from becoming an orphan of war.' Am I right?"

His silence was enough of an answer.

"I know how to calm my daughter down. I know how to teach her chakra control, simple jutsu's, medical ninjutsu, and some genjutsu. But I don't know how to teach her to control her Kekkei Genkai. I have no idea where to start, and you were right yesterday," Sakura murmured, ashamed that she was asking this powerful, handsome, dangerous man for help. "Even if I did escape and return to Konoha, if she killed someone because of her abilities… The village wouldn't stand for it. Even if she is a child."

When she met Pain's eyes, his narrowed gaze had lessened and he seemed to stare at her with questions. Pushing back her pride, Sakura continued, "You have the Rinnengan. That is the most powerful visual jutsu's in existence. You are leader of the Akatsuki, with many resources at your disposal. Please. Teach my daughter to control her abilities, so that she can live the life she deserves. Please."

Sakura met his gaze, and she didn't hold back the pleading that settled into her eyes. For her daughter she would do anything. Absolutely anything, and if that meant groveling to this man and pleading for his help then so be it.

Pain was silent for a moment before he took a few steps forward and encased her against the railing once more. Sakura's breath hitched, and she couldn't take her eyes off of the man before her.

As her imagination ran wild, she had to reign in her thoughts before she did something that she regretted. She opened her mouth to speak, but his voice stilled her vocal cords.

"Nothing can replace the lessons you have to teach her," he murmured, jaw tight as his gaze ran over Sakura. "But I will teach her what she needs to know. Pack your things and gather your wolves from the north forest. We're leaving tomorrow."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but he had already turned his back and had leapt to the canopy above the balcony.

"Excuse me?" Sakura shouted, leaning over the balcony and looking up. "What do you mean we're leaving? Where?"

"Do you want my help, or not?" Pain asked, one leg dangling over the edge and the other bent towards his chest.

Sakura swallowed, narrowed her eyes, and groaned. "Yes, but—"

"Then don't ask questions. Besides, you should be happy. You finally get to travel somewhere other than this tower," Pain said, and Sakura could have sworn she heard a smile in his voice.

xxxXxxx

"Mom, where are we going?" Amaya asked as she tugged on Sakura's cloak, adorned with red clouds. She didn't put the cloak on lightly, and if it weren't for Amaya she never would have.

Plastering a smile onto her face, Sakura took her daughters hand. "We're going somewhere secret, okay? So you can't ask too many questions."

Amaya's eyebrows knit together, and her lips pursed. "Even more secret than the last place?" Amaya murmured, and Sakura laughed lightly to herself.

"What did I just say, baby?"

Amaya blinked, motioned to zipper her mouth, and threw away the key. Sakura smiled, and kneeled down to fix her daughters own black cloak. "Good girl," she whispered, kissing her forehead and running a hand through her Amaya's hair.

Truth be told, Sakura didn't even know where they were going. Only that Pain had taken off on some personal errand and had left Konan to lead the way. Sakura couldn't complain too much, though. After all, _she_ was the one to ask Pain for help. If this was how he intended to begin helping her daughter, she would remain quiet and follow instructions.

She didn't have like it, but she did respect it.

Konan glanced around the grove they had momentarily stopped in, and motioned for Sakura to follow. "Come, we're getting close. We need to move."

The woman had become shut off from Sakura since they had taken their leave from the tower early the previous morning. Since then, Sakura couldn't pull a word from Konan. Since Pain had left, though, Konan had relaxed some.

Following Konan and leaping through the trees, Amaya on her back, Sakura caught up to the woman. "Konan, where are we going?"

Glancing behind her, Konan met Sakura's eyes for a moment before returning to the path ahead of them. "If Pain didn't tell you then I can't say. There is a reason he doesn't tell you these things."

Sakura sighed, looking around while trying to make out anything that was familiar. But, besides the few towns they stopped in along the way, there was nothing noticeable. Sakura knew that they were on the border of the Fire Country, but could make out nothing else. Which, she supposed, was to be expected. Pain still didn't fully trust her, despite his agreement to her daughters training.

It riled Sakura's feathers to no end, but she had to endure it. Follow along, and don't ask questions. For Amaya.

They continued on in silence, Amaya clinging tightly to Sakura's neck. Sakura wrapped one of her hands around her daughter's clenched fists and looked back to smile at her.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, eyes remaining on her daughter.

Amaya opened her mouth to speak, but her answer was cut off by the long baying howl of Ookami a mile ahead of them.

Sakura came to stop on a branch below Konan, who was crouched with her eyes closed.

Below the three, Sunao and Hanta emerged from the underbrush. Their heads all swiveled to where Ookami's howl continued, and Sakura's sharp intake of breath drew Konan's attention.

"What?" Konan asked. "What is it?"

"Five enemy shinobi ahead, heading this way," Sakura murmured, eyes unfocused as she deciphered Ookami's howls.

Sakura winced, but couldn't catch the tail end of what Ookami had meant. "It changed. Three. No, two. Wait. What…?" Sakura huffed, jaw clenching in annoyance. What was Ookami seeing?

"Either way, we need to move," Konan said, jumping down next to Sakura. "The hideout is—"

Sakura shook her head, and stared off in the direction of where Ookami was. "No."

Konan scoffed. "What are you talking about? Come—"

"No, here," Sakura started, and lowered Amaya from her back to the tree branch at their feet. "Take Amaya and go. If we lead them to the hideout then that means you lose a location, and I lose time."

Konan met her gaze, and Sakura shook her head. "Take her and go. Besides, if these are the shinobi that meant to grab her in the beginning then I have questions. Go, get Amaya to safety, and then come back for me."

Amaya suddenly shook her head, and clutched Sakura's cloak. "No, Mom. You said—"

"I know, Amaya," Sakura interrupted, shaking her head and bending down to pull Amaya's fists from her cloak. "But you need to go. Mommy has some business to take care of. I'll see you later, okay? Go with Konan. Be good."

Konan took ahold of Amaya, and gave Sakura a look of disapproval. "I do this only because I know I can't convince you otherwise."

Sakura laughed to herself, shrugging her shoulders. "I know."

Ookami's howl was closer, now, and Sakura looked to Konan in slight panic. "Go. Take her and go. Now."

Leaning over the branch to Sunao and Hanta below, she commanded, "Hanta. Go with Amaya and Konan. Now."

When the three disappeared through the trees, Sakura turned and sped off towards where Ookami's howls were matching Garou's.

As Sakura came closer to where Ookami and Garou held off the shinobi, Sakura picked up on a certain chakra signature. It was so familiar, yet when Sakura tried to place it she was left guessing. Shaking her head to rid herself of the rapid fire thoughts suddenly assaulting her mind, she came to a stop just outside the clearing where Ookami stood over one adversary and Garou held off another.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she tried to sense other chakra signatures nearby, but she came up with nothing. Jumping down into the clearing, Sakura made her way towards the wolves.

'Too easy,' she thought, approaching the two men who were at her wolves' mercy, but then she realized that two men weren't there. And that the blood draining from Ookami and Garou's ears was a sign that they were under a genjutsu, but Sakura reacted too late. She spun, throwing her arms up to block the large shuriken from cutting deep into her back.

"How stupid," came a velvet smooth voice, so familiar, and Sakura froze. "You always did rush into things."

'That voice,' she thought, shiver wracking her body. Gripping the oversized shuriken, Sakura spun to absorb the impact and held it, spinning, in her hand.

As the genjutsu faded, her eyes settled on a female form nestled against the trees, and the intake of breath the Sakura inadvertently took pained her throat.

"You," Sakura snarled, eyes narrowed on the woman.

She stood clad in a fishnet shirt, and tight shinobi capri pants which hugged at her hips. The all black clothing was striking against her milky white skin and dark crimson hair. The woman came closer, and Sakura could finally settle her gaze on the woman's distinct white eyes.

The rogue leaf shinobi had been blinded in an attack seven years ago, the same attack that had killed Sakura's fiancé. It had later come out that Ayane Naoko had had a part in setting the ANBU squad up for failure. She had admitted to treason against the Hidden Leaf, sharing information with unallied shinobi nations and orchestrating dozens of failed missions in order to dwindle the leafs security.

Ayane Naoko had killed hundreds of leaf shinobi right under the village's nose, and had gotten away with it. Since the attack that had killed Kohaku, and wounded Sakura fatally, she had disappeared soon after giving her testimony before the village elders. But… Sakura shook her head.

Something wasn't right. Ayane was dead. She had seen her executed before the village elders by members of the ANBU Black Ops. Ayane had been killed long before this moment. Yet here she stood, and Sakura's anger settled into her gut.

This was Ayane, and Sakura was going to see that she finally be put to death.

"You have grown, Sakura," Ayane said, sinister smile overtaking her expression.

"What are you doing here, Ayane?" Sakura sneered, narrowing her eyes and watching the woman's every movement. "You're supposed to be dead."

Ayane laughed, a loud, shrill sound. "Yes, I did hear that rumor spread about. I didn't feel like correcting it. I liked being able to get away with things for a little while."

Stepping closer, Ayane whistled a low note. "You've grown your hair long," she stated, cocking her head. "I thought you hated it long."

Sakura narrowed her eyes as Ayane continued to whistle, and the small waves of chakra that lapped against Sakura had her stepping backwards every few seconds. That is, until she realized that Ayane was able to see her through the chakra vibrations.

"Stop changing the subject," Sakura shouted, and, spinning her body around for momentum, she threw the oversized shuriken towards the woman.

Merely side stepping the large, bulky weapon, Ayane caught the star and hooked it into place on her back.

"Well, you're no fun anymore. Oh well," Ayane murmured, and sneered. "I didn't come here for you anyways. I hear there's a bounty out for that brat you were carrying on your back. I'll be taking her, and my leave. If you would just kindly get out of my way."

Sakura dodged the senbon needles thrown in her direction, but failed to notice the second set that followed in the shadow of the first. Raising her arm, the needles embedded themselves in the already wounded skin of her arm.

She winced, but was distracted by Ayane's despicably shrill laugh.

"You always did have a terrible laugh," Sakura snapped, pulling the senbon from her arm. "And you really shouldn't talk about my daughter like that."

Ayane's eyebrows hiked up, and she giggled to herself. "Well, well then. This is getting interesting. That brat is your child, isn't she? I hadn't even drawn that conclusion. I just assumed that Kohaku wouldn't have settled for a useless kunoichi like you."

"Well he certainly wouldn't have settled for you," snapped Sakura, pushing chakra to her fist. She put all of her weight behind her hand and hit the ground with as much force as she could muster, never taking her eyes off of the woman to her front. Ayane was fast, so fast that she rivaled the Fourth Hokage. Her lack of eyesight hadn't changed that.

Ayane leapt into the air, avoiding the crumbling earth. "Well of course not. Seeing as he's six feet under, and I'm still here."

Something in Sakura snapped at the nonchalant words, and she met Ayane in the air. Aiming a punch her way, Sakura's hit landed, but Ayane grabbed onto Sakura's fist which forced Sakura's body to travel along with the force of her hit.

Landing hard against the ground, Sakura winced and came to kneel. Ayane had disappeared, and Sakura pushed to feel for her chakra signature. Here. Anywhere.

But just as quickly as Ayane had appeared, she had gone.

"Come out, you coward," shouted Sakura, standing and turning in circles. "Afraid of a little competition?"

"You know, you always did have a bad temper," Ayane whispered from the trees opposite the clearing of Sakura. "It did get you in trouble often. Look at what it's done now. You've been so focused on me, trapped in a genjustsu, that you hadn't realized what trouble your daughter was in."

Sakura froze, and her breathing stilled. Ayane wavered and disappeared, and Ookami and Garou appeared in front of her once again. Sakura hadn't moved from her spot, and neither had the wolves.

Ayane was gone, and Sakura knew she had fallen into the rogue kunoichi's trap.

"Damnit," Sakura cursed, turning on her heals and traveling as fast as she could in the direction that Konan had gone. Sakura knew that she had to make it to her daughter on time, and hoped that Konan's abilities could keep her daughter safe until she got there.

Shaking her head, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that her body didn't feel right. The forest rushed around her, and nothing looked right. Nothing felt right.

A loud, high pitched scream caught her attention, and she changed course towards the sound. Ignoring the sudden wave of chakra that washed over her, Sakura arrived at the river where she spotted Ayane frozen, her hands gripping her ears.

"Will you shut up," she shouted, throwing a kunai towards Amaya. The kunai struck Amaya, and embedded itself in her shoulder.

Falling to the ground, eyes wide, Amaya's mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out.

Red.

There was a reason Sakura didn't participate in missions anymore. There was a reason that Sakura didn't battle anymore, for any reason but one. And that was because the rage that she had buried so deep over the injustice that had been served to her fiancé, the anger that she had spent her youth trying to save someone who hadn't wanted to be saved, and the inherent and absolute fury she felt that her daughter would always be mistreated, arose at that particular moment. And all Sakura could see was _red_.

In the next moment, Sakura had her bare hands surrounding Ayane's throat. And this time, the woman was real.

"No," gasped Ayane, in a voice that didn't sound like her own. It was so familiar, but the red engulfed Sakura's vision. The figure beneath her clawed at Sakura's hands. "Wait! Please, don't—"

Sakura gripped at Ayane's windpipe, stood while clutching at the woman, and threw her into the ground at her feet. She could feel the tendons crushing beneath her palms, the blood rushing to pool into bruises at Ayane's throat, and, most satisfyingly, Sakura could see as the blood vessels ruptured in Ayane's snow white eyes. As her eyes bled red, Sakura could feel the satisfaction rising up within her.

But there was this constant shouting as she and Ayane struggled, Ayane's hands scratching, clawing, and gripping onto anything she could grab of Sakura. This insistent shouting fueled Sakura's anger, because in that moment Sakura wanted nothing more but to focus on Ayane's death by her hands.

But the shouting continued, and Ayane's mouth remained open as if the noise was coming from her crushed windpipe.

" _What_?" Sakura snarled, rage apparent on her face. " _What do you want_? Just _die_."

But suddenly, Ayane's form began to change. Her blood red hair began to drip away, to leave a tainted shade of purple behind. The hair lacked its usual origami flower, and the bun had fallen away to become a tangled mess of purple hair and drying blood.

Konan's hazel eyes were wide, blood dripping from each corner. Her gaze jumped between Sakura's form, and the men surrounding Amaya.

"Sakura, snap out of it!" Konan attempted to shout, though she could only mouth the words through the strangulation she was enduring. "Sakura, Amaya! Look at Amaya!"

As Sakura realized who was beneath her hands, and the name falling from Konan's lips, she threw herself back. Her breathing was jagged, and it felt as if her throat was swelling up. Konan's hands were covered in blood, and as Sakura tried to breath she could feel her own windpipe was crushed. The two women had been fooled into attacking each other, but that wasn't what Sakura was focusing on in that moment.

Amaya screamed. The small girl was crouched, clutching at her head. Her snow white hair was a mess, blood dripped down her shoulder and stained her emerald green kimono that she had picked out this morning.

The men around her suddenly clutched at their heads, their shouts blending in with Amaya's screaming and Konan's shouting. And suddenly, Sakura could feel it too. The rush, the pain, and the pressure that was building within her skull. Glancing to her right, Konan writhed on the ground as blood dripped from her ears and eyes, a small amount dripped from her pale lips as well.

The pain was immense, and only growing. Sakura knew that if she couldn't reach her daughter in the next moment that she, along with the rest of the shinobi along the river, would be dead.

Pushing through the pain, Sakura stumbled to her feet and urged her muscles to propel her towards Amaya. The closer she got, the more pressure that built. Wetness dripped from her cheeks, and Sakura's hearing suddenly failed. Stumbling, trying to keep her balance, Sakura fell before Amaya and, letting go of her own head, wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Stop," she whispered to Amaya, pleading. "Please, stop. Amaya… _Amaya_!"

Sakura heard the screams behind her reach their peak, and hot, sticky liquid drenched her from behind as the men fell to their knees, their skulls having exploded from being under too much pressure.

"Amaya, it's me. Please, stop! _Stop_!"

Sakura didn't even know if her words could have been understood. The bare minimum of air seeped into Sakura's lungs, and she hugged her daughter as tight as she could. Infusing as much chakra into her hand in the next moment, Sakura pressed her hand hard into Amaya's back. She could feel when the seal was finished, because Amaya's limp form suddenly weighed in her arms.

Amaya slipped from Sakura's grasp, and Sakura lurched to the side. Blood poured from her mouth, dripped from her eyes and clouded her vision. All she could hear was a terrible ringing that overtook any sound that might have been made in those few moments.

With what energy she had left, and what consciousness, Sakura made the hand signs that allowed for her stored chakra to burst forth. As she finished the seals, the Creation Rebirth Justsu took hold. Sakura could feel as the tattoo's spread over her skin, and she pushed those marks onto Amaya, and after a few moments of stumbling, threw her hands onto Konan's motionless form. The marks weaved their way over Konan's skin, the steam rising from the three of them as the cells regeneration was sped up unnaturally.

Sakura, unable to remain upright as her chakra drained itself, fell to lay next to Konan.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Amaya sitting up with her eyes wide. Sakura guessed that she was screaming then, as her daughter's mouth opened wide.

'Poor Amaya,' Sakura thought as her vision wavered. 'She didn't know what she was doing…'

Figures appeared behind Amaya, and Sakura would have feared for her daughter if she hadn't seen the Akatsuki clouds on their cloaks.

'Oh good,' Sakura thought, wanting to laugh to herself, but only blood bubbled up from her throat when she tried. 'Help finally arrived.'

Despite how fast the Jutsu should have been working, Sakura directed the flow of energy to the other two wounded instead of herself.

One of the cloaked figures with long, blonde hair took Amaya into his arms and held her there. She clutched at him, but her eyes never left the carnage around her.

'Don't let her look,' Sakura thought, wanting Amaya's eyes to be covered. 'Don't let her see.'

Hands moved Sakura's head to point straight up, and then her head was tilted slightly back. Sakura could barely feel the touch. She was so cold…

There was a warmth as healing medical ninjutsu bled into her body, and her lungs were suddenly filled with air. But the sky was too bright, and her eye lids were so heavy…

"Sakura, don't you dare close your eyes."

She couldn't pick up on the voices owner, but she suddenly knew the chakra signature that was healing her wounds.

'Pain,' she thought, a smile coming to her lips. 'Good. He was finally back. Amaya would be safe.'

"Sakura!" the voice roared, but she couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to look around and find who was ordering her around.

Her vision bled to black, but not before she pushed the last of her chakra through the link that fed the jutsu to Konan.

And then… Nothing.

* * *

Well, that escalated quickly. Haha. Hope you all liked this chapter. The words just kept flowing, and this was the result of listening to a lot of Naruto Shippuden Fighting and Akatsuki soundtracks.

Anyways, REVIEW! Your words keep me motivated! I will try to update Sunday. I work the next two days!

~Adoration


	7. Tip of My Tongue

_"Oh dear never saw you coming,  
_ _Oh my look what you have done you're my favorite song,  
Always on the tip of my tongue,_  
 _You own me with whispers like poetry,  
Your mouth is a melody I memorize,_  
 _Mmm, so sweet I hear it echo everywhere I go day and night."  
_  
 _-Tip of My Tongue, The Civil Wars_

* * *

Chapter Seven

" _He's dead, Sakura! Leave him!"_

" _We have to go. Ayane betrayed us. Sakura, let him go."_

" _Stop screaming, they'll find us. No,_ no _, they're here. We_ have _to move!"_

" _Stop screaming, Sakura! Stop!_ Stop _!"_

Voices swirled around in Sakura's mind, uncontrollable and tormenting. Visions of Kohaku's death, the weight of his dead body in her arms, and his blood spattered over her body were mixed in… Sakura could feel the horror, feel the pain, and feel his death begin to choke her throat.

 _Sakura_ …

Trying to scream, Sakura opened her mouth and tried to force air over her vocal cords.

 _Sakura, stop…_

The dream was so heavy, and her limbs couldn't move. It was as if she was being held down…

 _I'm here, Sakura. It's okay. Please, stop screaming…_

She screamed so loud that heaven and hell could have heard her. She thrashed and turned, but couldn't move.

"Sakura!"

The sudden closeness of the voice gripped her mind, body, and soul and Sakura's eyes snapped open. Sweat covered her body, her breath came in short, hyperventilating breaths, and there her muscles were taught and overstrung. Strong arms held her from behind. One arm was wrapped around her waist, while the other was haphazardly thrown across her chest in an attempt at trapping her arms.

Her gaze settled on the wall across from her. It was bare, and Sakura's eyes suddenly began to frantically roam the room in search of answers.

"Calm," Pain said, his smooth, deep voice directly against her ear. His sweet breath blew over her neck, and when his scent washed over her Sakura began to relax. "You're safe. You're safe _here_. Calm down. _Breathe_."

Her body was pulled up against his under the covers, and his bare chest was flush against her back. She sat between his legs, and the warmth given off by his body was incredible.

She focused on his voice, on his slow, deep breathing, and tried to mimic his with her own breathing. As she relaxed back into him, his grip on her loosened, and, as her head fell limp onto his chest, his embrace turned comforting.

"You're okay," he murmured, his own head falling against her shoulder and turning into her neck. She couldn't tell if he was saying it for her benefit or his own.

Sakura's throat was raw as her breathing slowed, and she began to register what hurt and what didn't. Her body felt raw and new, which was a common side effect of the jutsu she had used. She was exhausted, another side effect of pushing herself too far.

Pain's arms, which now encompassed her waist, were comforting instead of painful. Her eyes turned to look back at his chest, which she was pulled up against, and she noticed that his chest was bare.

Moaning slightly, Sakura moved to adjust and Pain's head snapped up.

"You're awake," he breathed, arms unraveling to grip at her hips. He helped move her as she adjusted herself, and Sakura winced. Her body felt tense, like it hadn't moved in a week.

"Of course I'm awake," Sakura replied, voice hoarse and scratchy. "What did you think the screaming meant?"

Pain huffed. "You've been screaming in your sleep for days. You usually start every few hours. Konan and I have taken turns trying to calm you."

Sakura froze, and really took in her surroundings. "Days?" Sakura asked, and she leaned forward away from his chest. Leaning on her hands, Sakura suddenly wished that she had stayed against his chest. It was warm, and it was comfortable.

"Where am I?" Sakura asked, and she blinked her eyes rapidly to clear her vision. "Konan—Oh, God. Is she-?"

"She's fine, thanks to you. So is Amaya," Pain murmured, one hand on her hip and the other coming to rest on her back lightly. "You healed them before you let the jutsu even touch you."

Sakura vision began to fade, and Pain's hands eased her back against his chest. "Don't push yourself."

"They're okay," Sakura breathed, and turned her head up to finally look at Pain.

"They're okay," Pain confirmed, his expression oh so conservative. It was as if he was holding something back, and Sakura couldn't quite make out what it could be.

"You healed me," Sakura said, and she brought her hand up to her waist to take one of his hands in her own. His hands were so big compared to hers, and strong. She stared at his hand, and twisted it to take in every little feature. "You saved me."

His hand flexed and clenched, and, as her fingers lightly ran over his skin, his body shivered against her own.

He didn't speak, but she could feel his gaze on her hand as she traced the veins across his palm, over his wrist, and up his forearm. His breath suddenly shuddered against her neck, and she pulled her eyes away to stare up at him.

And suddenly, his careful façade broke to reveal a sliver of the emotion beneath. His eyebrows were knit together in concern, but his face was a mask of need and fear.

"You died," he breathed, his breath washing over her face. "We couldn't get you to wake up. We couldn't get your heart to beat. I…"

Suddenly, Sakura's hand settled on his chest and she turned in his grasp. Moving her hand up his chest, her hand skimmed over his collarbone, up his neck, and caressed his strong jawbone with her thumb.

"I'm alive," she whispered, and his closed eyes opened to slowly overlook her form. His eyes started from her lower body, which was covered by the sheets of the bed, and slowly moved up until he met her gaze.

When his eyes met hers, a shiver of her own wracked her body, and her breathing deepened. God, they were so close. His face, above hers, was so close that his sweet, enticing breath washed over her with every breath he gave and took. And as his lips parted, so did hers, and she couldn't help but stare at him with the need she had covered up since arguing him in his tower.

And suddenly, he was there. His breath mingling with hers, his lips crashing against her own, and her body pressing further into his. His lips were soft, and the cold metal of his lips piercings only revved her arousal at his touch.

Strong, muscular arms came to circle around her waist once more, and instead of holding her in one place they pulled her flush against him. Rotating in his grasp, she came to kneel between his legs. Taller than him when she leaned up straight, he lifted her up further so that she could move her legs to straddle his lap.

The kiss deepened, and suddenly their tongues were fighting for dominance all the while their bodies became entwined. Sakura's hands ran over his chest, her nails dragging upward. She was rewarded when he slightly moaned into her mouth, and it was the most delicious sound she had ever heard. Her hands eventually came to tangle into his hair, and she tugged his head back. Their lips broke away from each other, and swollen, red lips skimmed down his jaw to nips at his jugular.

His head was thrown back, eyes closed, and he gave a shivering breath. His right arm pushed her chest against his, and the thin t-shirt she was wearing did nothing to hide how hard her nipples had become in arousal.

His eyes, suddenly snapping open, came to caress over her features, and he pushed himself up and forward with his free hand. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and he gently laid Sakura backward against the bed. His lips crashed against hers again, and his arousal suddenly pressed into Sakura's core.

And God, if he wasn't huge to the touch. His shinobi pants did nothing to hide his arousal, and Sakura moaned into his mouth as he pressed hard against her. Sakura's arms came to wrap around his torso, and her nails dug into the smooth, taught skin of his back. His muscles contracted as he shifted down to nip, bite, and suck at the vulnerable skin of her neck, and Sakura loved how his muscles moved beneath her hands. How his teeth skimmed over her vulnerable flesh, and how her shivers were tempered by his touch.

Sakura's legs lifted her to meet his arousal, and she ground her hips into him without a second thought. Gently biting his lower lip as she did so, he groaned, and he brought one of his hands to hold her up against him.

His teeth lowered, and he nipped at her hardened nipples through her shirt.

Gasping, Sakura threw her head back. "Pain," she breathed, and couldn't focus on the many sensations that were hitting her all at once.

Seeing as she wasn't wearing pants, it made it easy for his hand to slide lower to the conjunction of her legs and torment her in more ways than one.

Hands gripping at his waistline, Sakura moaned and threw her head back. "Oh, God," she moaned, breathing hitching as his fingers hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"Sakura," he breathed against her neck, and his arousal ground against her once more. Coupled with the movements of his fingers, it was almost too much for Sakura to bear. Something began to coil deep in her lower abdomen. She lifted her hips to meet his once again and crashed her lips against his.

They remained like that for a few moments, when Pain's lips began to trail down her jawline and down her neck. His bite was suddenly harder than before, and the tenderness that Sakura had felt when waking up returned. Her windpipe had been crushed, and even after healing the injury would still ache for a few days.

When his bite and harder touch made the pain in her neck flare, Sakura gave an unwilling gasp of pain.

Everything Pain had been doing froze, and suddenly there was a lack of weight atop her form. Sakura's eyes snapped open, and she saw Pain, back turned towards her, standing next to the bed.

His breath, like hers, was coming in rapid bursts, and Sakura sat up. She swung her feet over the side of the bed, and reached out to touch his arm. "Pain—"

He jerked away from her, and Sakura's hand recoiled in shock.

"Pain, I'm okay—"

"You need to rest," he finally said, and his voice was devoid of all emotion. As he turned and made for the door, Sakura's eyes widened and her shoulders fell. "Konan will stop in later to check on you."

And with that, he was gone. Sakura was left, disheveled and shocked, to stare at the door that he had disappeared through.

What. The. Hell.

Sakura ran her hands through disheveled hair, and fell back against the rumpled covers. She could still feel his touch, his kiss, his weight pressing against her…

On a whim, Sakura decided to push everything that had happened to the back of her mind. No way was she going to go over and over this in her head for the next few hours, while sitting around waiting for Konan to come in.

Konan. Amaya.

Oh.

Sakura's stomach fell, and guilt suddenly fell over her. She hadn't been focusing on reality while Pain had been so close. Oh, so deliciously close…

No.

Sitting up, Sakura pushed herself towards the edge of the bed, stood, stretched, and set out to find her clothes. They were hung in the closet next to the bed, color coordinated and all clean.

Sighing, Sakura braced herself against the closet door and dreaded seeing the woman. She needed to know if she was alright, though. And what exactly had happened. The more Sakura thought, the more she couldn't figure out the little details. But Sakura needed to talk to Konan, and she was not waiting here in the same bed that she and Pain had just had a very strong moment.

Pulling on a simple change of underwear, bra, form-fitted, black pants, and a turquoise shirt, Sakura made her way into the hallway.

The hallways here weren't long like in the tower, and Sakura easily made her way out into an open room with windows to the outside world. The room looked like the common room in the tower, but much more lived in. Books laid on the side tables, magazines on the coffee table, and a bookshelf filled with moves sat next to the large TV at the center of the far wall. Shoes sat beside the door, and a few cloaks were hung on the wall pegs above.

Crossing through the vacant room, Sakura then came to another hallway. To her left was a door that opened to reveal a staircase going down, and, closing that door, Sakura crossed diagonal to enter a kitchen.

Sakura hadn't expected to find people, even though she knew she was at one of the Akatsuki's hideouts. She had seen the multitude of people come to their aid before she passed out, but it hadn't crossed Sakura's mind that they would still be here.

The conversation in the kitchen halted as Sakura came through the archway, and three pairs of eyes swung her way. She froze, her eyes locking onto the two men and purple haired kunoichi who was cooking at the stove.

"Sakura," Konan finally acknowledged after a moment of awkward silence, and the broad smile that was directed Sakura's way shocked Sakura.

She had convinced herself that Konan hated her for the attack, but that clearly wasn't the case. If the woman hated you, she made sure that you knew it. It was a trait that Sakura loved about Konan. The woman wasn't scared to make her views known.

Sakura, smile a few watts dimmer than Konan's, came to stand at the bar next to Kisame. She knew most of the people who made of the Akatsuki, having tracked them for so long alongside Naruto and the rest of the rookie nine. When the organization when dark, though, they lost all leads that were good enough to follow up on.

Kisame looked Sakura up and down, and then grinned. His sharpened teeth shone in the light, and Sakura was hesitant when she smiled back. She was so used to being an adversary to these members, that Sakura found it difficult and comical to interact with them.

"Well, look who's finally awake and _not_ screaming," Kisame said, grinning.

Sakura could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment, and she shoved her hands in her pocket. What she wouldn't give to retreat back to her room right about now.

"About that—"

"No worries," Konan interrupted, stirring the pot of soup that was simmering. "We all have our fair share of troubles around here. Some nightmares are a piece of cake. Right?"

Kisame grumbled, taking a drink from the glass in his hand, and stood. "I'm going to go for a swim. Let me know when dinner is ready." And with that, there was slightly less tension in the room.

"We meet again," the blonde said, and Sakura knew this one as well. Deidara grinned from behind the long hair that covered half of his face. "At least this time you're not trying to kill me."

Sakura, grinning, shrugged and sat in one of the barstools. "I mean, if it would make you feel better…"

Holding his hands up, he shook his head. "Let's keep it civil. For now. Besides, it's nice to have a change in pace around here."

The hands on Deidara's palms smiled when he did, and Sakura knew she should have been creeped out when she wasn't.

Nodding, Sakura bit her lip and then spoke again. "Thank you," she finally said in a quiet tone. When Deidara's look turned confused, Sakura elaborated. "When you all showed up to help us, you were the first to help Amaya. You were rocking her when I passed out. Thank you."

Deidara, looking slightly shocked, smiled softly and crossed his arms. "Not even a thing," he said, and waved her words off.

Konan rolled her eyes, and sat the wooden spoon over the pot of soup. "I'm glad you're finally awake. We were worried. You've been out for a week."

Sakura, nodding, said, "Yeah, Pain already mentioned that."

Raising her eyebrow, Konan's hands went into her own pockets. Grinning slightly, she eyed Sakura. "Oh, Pain was there when you woke?"

Sakura was glad that her face was already flushed, because the look in Konan's eye held more than mere curiosity. "Yes," she said, leaning against the counter. "He told me to rest, but—"

"You don't listen very well," Konan finished, laughing when Sakura did.

Sighing, Sakura's sobered up and shot Konan and apologetic look.

"Konan, I—"

"Don't."

"But I—"

"Sakura," Konan finally stated, tone a little harsher than before. But when Sakura took in the woman's expression, she didn't appear to be mad. She appeared to look… guilty? "We both attacked each other. I even attacked Amaya, for which I am so unbelievably sorry for. She looked like an enemy I once faced, and talked him too…"

"You did, too," Sakura interjected, and her grin was grim. "It started as a genjutsu when I got to Ookami and Garou, but after that… It seemed like a strong genjutsu meant to turn comrades against each other."

Konan nodded, turning back to stir the soup a little more. "That's exactly what it was. When we crossed over the threshold that those sound shinobi had set up, there was no way we could have escaped. It even effected Amaya, which is why she continued to attack when you held onto her."

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. Just as she had suspected. There was nothing that could have been done to remedy the situation, though, because there was no way that the genjutsu could have been avoided. It came completely by surprise, and it was a miracle that the three were alive to tell the tale of what had happened.

"I am sorry, still," Sakura said, shrugging when Konan gave her a look.

"Well, I'm thankful to you. Thank you for healing me the way you did, you didn't have to. So, thank you."

Sakura smiled, looked down at the counter, and then looked around the kitchen. "How and where is my child?"

Grinning, Deidara spoke. "She's fine. Your jutsu healed her good as new. Last I saw, she was outside with Itachi."

Blinking, Sakura stared at Deidara. "Itachi Uchiha is watching my daughter," Sakura spoke slowly, and closed her eyes. "This is going to take some getting used to."

Konan laughed, and nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Is she-?"

"Safe?" Deidara finished, and waved his hand in dismissal. "Itachi is tame, especially around children. Not someone who you want against you, but he usually keeps to himself. Amaya is safe. She's been bouncing between members watching her all week."

The more Deidara said, the more Sakura wanted to curl back up into bed and lock the door with Amaya next to her. This was all so strange, so new, and so out of place that it was hard for Sakura to wrap her mind around everything.

"You okay?" Konan asked, coming around to place a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura sighed, and groaned. "Yep, just adjusting."

Deidara took a water bottle from the fridge and slid it down the counter to Sakura. "Here."

Catching it, Sakura nodded in thanks. Taking a long drink, her throat felt immensely better, and Sakura stood. Turning, Sakura enveloped Konan in a tight hug, and, after a shocked moment, Konan hugged the pink hair kunoichi back.

"Thank you," Sakura said.

Konan, smiling, repeated, "Thank you," and hugged the woman tighter. "Now, go find Amaya. She's been waiting for you to wake up all week."

Sakura didn't catch the strange look that Deidara shot Konan, and headed towards the outside door towards he daughter.

xxxXxxx

The outside air rushed over Sakura, and she was grateful for the peaceful stroll towards the river's edge where she sensed Itachi and Amaya were. Sakura, in all of her time away from Konoha, had been cooped up inside save for two days. The sun was a welcome warmth against her skin.

It didn't compare to the warmth that Pain gave her, though, and Sakura shook her head. Her mind kept going back to the moment they had shared when she first awoke, and she couldn't decipher it. As far as she knew, Pain considered her a necessary evil in protecting Amaya. When had she become more than that?

Walking down the path through the trees, Sakura pushed all thoughts from her mind and enjoyed the sheer silence, save for the trees rustling all around her in the wind.

Eventually, she emerged from the trees to come to a rushing river, where rocks formed a pathway to the other side. The sound of the water was broken up by the sudden, high pitch laugh to Sakura's left.

Amaya stood in the water at the very edge, pants pulled up over her knees, watching Sunao chase after the stick that Amaya had thrown into the water. She wolf was up to her belly in water, splashing around and biting at the water. There had to be fish where she stood, as well, because there was a splashing in the water around the she-wolf as she chased after something in the water.

Itachi sat under one of the trees further back, eyes closed with a book in his hands. He had to know Sakura was there, but he made no motion to Amaya.

Smiling, Sakura made her way towards the three. There was a bounce in her step as she took in her daughter, healthy and happy.

Sunao was the first to make motion of Sakura's presence. The wolf howled, and charged through the water towards her alpha. Amaya's eyes followed, but Sakura missed the hesitation there.

Sunao jumped up on Sakura, her front paws resting against Sakura's shoulder. Laughing, Sakura hugged the giant wolf and pushed her back onto all fours. "Hey, Sunao," Sakura greeted, kissing the wolves muzzle and ruffling her fur. "Amaya…"

Sakura started to say her daughter's name, expecting her to be right behind Sunao, but she wasn't. Blinking, Sakura looked around and saw the girl still standing in the water, arms hugged closely around herself.

Confused, Sakura smiled, but Amaya shook her head and took a few steps away.

What…?

"Amaya?" Sakura called, more of a question, and started walking towards her daughter.

"Amaya, come here," Sakura said, opening her arms and smiling brightly.

But Amaya only shook her head, and ran towards Itachi.

Sakura's heart broke, and she sucked in a shocked breath. Her stomach plummeted, and her arms fell to her sides. Had she hurt Amaya in the fight? Had she scared her daughter so much that she feared her own mother?

Itachi's eyes opened when Amaya hid behind the tree he was sitting under, and his eyes settled on Sakura.

The Sharingan that stared at Sakura made her hesitate for only a second, but she kept walking towards the pair. When she glanced back at him, his red eyes had faded to leave pitch black orbs. Just like his brothers.

Smiling at him, slightly, Sakura came to stand a few feet away and tried to peer around the tree at Amaya.

Itachi didn't say anything, but he closed his book and reached around to gently grab Amaya's hand. He pulled her, oh so gently, from around the tree. She hesitated, but only slightly, and there were tears in her eyes.

Sakura felt her heart wrench, and she immediately fell to kneel in the grass. "Hey, you," she said, smiling at her daughter. "What do you think you're doing, hiding from me?"

Sakura's tone was gentle, playful, but Amaya only looked scared and like she wanted to run in the other direction.

"Come here, baby," Sakura urged, but Amaya fiercely shook her head.

"No," Amaya finally spoke, tearing her arm out of Itachi's grasp and hugging them around herself.

When Sakura went to stand, Amaya shook her hands and head rapidly. "No, no! Don't come near me. Please, Momma."

A quizzical look took over Sakura's expression, and she fell back to the crouch she was previously in. "What are you talking about, baby? What's wrong?"

Tears began to stream down Amaya's face, and Itachi tried to brush them from her face. Amaya only wrenched away and stood away from the both of them.

"I'll hurt you again!" Amaya shouted through the tears streaming down her cheeks, and she refused to look at Sakura. Her snowy, silver hair fell over her shoulders and covered her face.

Sakura's shoulders fell, and now she knew. "Amaya—"

"No! I hurt you, I hurt Konan, and I killed people. You can't be around me. Go aw—"

"Amaya Haruno," Sakura snapped, cutting her daughter off. If Sakura ever did use a stern, motherly tone, it was then. "You come over here right now." And when Amaya hesitated, "Right now, Amaya. Come here."

Slowly inching her way over to Sakura, it took Amaya a few moments, but she finally stood before Sakura.

Sakura reached out to take her daughter into her grasp, but Amaya flinched. Sakura's arms dropped, and Sakura sat on her knees in the grass.

"Amaya," she said, tone loving, and Sakura bent her head to catch her daughters emerald green gaze. "Yes, you hurt me and Konan. You did kill those shinobi, but did you know what you were doing?"

Amaya, staring at Sakura, shook her head. Her body was quivering as she looked over Sakura, blinking rapidly to expel the tears that kept forming.

"Okay then. You didn't know what you were doing; just like the other times, you were scared and afraid. You reacted, and things happened. But that's okay. You have abilities, baby, and you don't know how to control them. It's extremely unfair to you, because your father isn't here to help you through it. I'm no help, because I don't know anything about what you can do. All I know is what your father told me, which wasn't much."

Amaya, at the mention of her father, perked up and was visibly listening to her mother.

"But, guess who is going to help you?" Sakura asked, smiling slightly.

Amaya bit her lip, and replied, "Pain."

Sakura nodded. "Yep, that's why we're here. He's going to help you learn how to control your abilities, and recognize when they're surfacing. You're scared now, but he…We're going to help you learn what you need to control and use your Kekkei Genkai."

"Kekkei Genkai?" Amaya slowly asked, and her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"That's what you have. A Kekkei Genkai. They're abilities passed down through generations of a clan. You inherited your gift from you father, not me. I'm not that special," Sakura said, rolling her eyes.

Amaya laughed slightly. "Mom," she said, dragging the word out. "You're special. You save people."

"I do," said Sakura, looking down at her hands. "But, guess what? When you learn how to control your abilities you can save a hundred times more people than I can."

Blinking, Amaya shook her head. "I only hurt people."

"No," Sakura said, shaking her head. "You only hurt people because you don't know what you're doing. When you learn how to control your gift, you'll be a hundred times the medical shinobi I am."

"No way," Amaya said, eyes wide, and she looked down at her own hands. "But…"

"No 'buts,' missy," Sakura said, taking Amaya's hands in her own. She gently pulled Amaya towards her, and her daughter followed.

"You keep calling it a 'gift,'" Amaya said, looking into Sakura's eyes. "But I didn't ask for it. I didn't ask for this ability."

Sakura swallowed, blinked away a few tears of her own, and sighed. "I know, honey," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "But your father gave this to you. He passed this down to you, and it was the only thing he could give you. You get to choose what you do with it. You can let Pain and I help you, or—"

Sakura thought of Kohaku's words, and closed her eyes. "Or you can choose to let me seal it up forever. You wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. You could be like every one of your friends, and not worry about it."

Sakura could feel Itachi's eyes on her, but she ignored him.

Amaya stared down at her hands in her mothers, and she bit her lip. "I can decide?"

Sakura nodded, and Amaya looked torn. Her eyebrows knit together once again, and she sighed. "Why would I want to be like all of the other kids when I can be a great shinobi like my parents?"

Sakura met her daughters gaze, and, when Amaya smiled her one-hundred watt smile, Sakura enveloped her daughter in a bear hug. She fell to the grass with Amaya in her grasp, who was giggling and laughing.

Sakura could have sworn she saw a smile on Itachi's lips when she finally looked at the man, but he had gone back to reading his book.

xxxXxxx

"You have failed once again," said a strong, hoarse voice, which echoed through the bare, stone room. "And that is unacceptable."

The two shinobi who kneeled before Danzo hung their heads, refusing to look at their superior. The room was dark, devoid of any windows to allow the bright sunlight to shine through. The room was deep within the underground training facility, where the agents of Root were trained, held, and housed.

"You have been trained to kill, and kill efficiently, yet you are unable to take down a seven-year-old child," Danzo scolded, shouting. "And now you tell me she is within the Akatsuki's grasp. You have failed your mission, and caused even more trouble for me."

Danzo's finger's drummed against the desk he sat behind, and the two shinobi before him remained silent. They were the remaining survivors of the five who were sent to kill the Kohaku descendant, and Danzo couldn't help but think he would have to orchestrate the child's death with his own bare hands.

He lifted the contract Ren Kohaku had signed when he had turned thirteen and had achieved the shinobi rank of Genin. Letting the parchment fall back to his desk, he sighed. The paper meant nothing to him, but it had given the Kohaku boy a sense of security in the village when he should have felt none.

"Get out of my sight," Danzo said, and the two were gone in an instant.

Danzo knew he would have to compile a better team of shinobi for this. Lifting the files he had gather on Ren Kohaku, Amaya Haruno, and Sakura Haruno, Danzo knew one thing with absolute certainty.

Sakura Haruno and her daughter would never set foot in the Hidden Leaf Village again without a certain quick death awaiting them.

* * *

Well, there it is! Chapter seven! I hope you all enjoyed it! I know, I should have written this earlier in the day, but I have a bad habit of procrastinating.

Sorry to **icendfire** who was expecting this on Sunday, not early Monday morning! Lol! Pain and Sakura didn't want to cooperate in my head.

Please Review! Your encouragement has kept me going so far! Keep it coming! I enjoy hearing from you all!

Thanks!

~Adoration.


	8. In This Moment

_You don't want me to love you,_  
 _You don't want me to need you,_  
 _You don't want to look at me,_  
 _For you will turn to stone._

 _You don't want me to hurt you,_  
 _You don't want me to bite you,_  
 _You don't want me,_  
 _Or my aching soul,_  
 _For I will only fall._

 _-The Fighter, In This Moment_

* * *

Chapter Eight

 _Run_.

Her feet pounded against the earth, the air whipping around her body.

 _Faster_.

' _Don't stop; not yet_ ,' she thought, emerald green eyes focused on sparse light that shone through the trees. ' _Almost there. So close_.'

Branches whipped past her, a stray twig scratching at her cheek. A trickle of blood wavered there, and finally fell down her cheek. The early morning darkness enveloped itself around her form, growing ever faster as her footfalls fell against the dew damp soil. The rising sun shone through the tree line before her, and she was almost there…

' _Quick, before_ …'

When Sakura broke through the tree line, the sun had already risen above the horizon beyond the mountains and was taking to the sky.

Slowly coming to a stop just before the ridge dropped off to the forest below, Sakura's hands flew to her hips. She bent over, breathing heavy and labored.

"Damnit," she whispered, and stood for a moment to catch her breath. She had been hoping to reach the spot on the cliff before the sun rose, but she had woken up late this morning.

Crouching and falling back, she scooted forward so that her feet hung over the edge of the cliff. The one-hundred foot drop before her didn't scare her, it didn't even phase her. What did phase Sakura was the irritation that she had, yet again, missed the sunrise from the very beginning.

For the past week, Sakura had been getting up early to take to the mountain trail to the cliff she currently sat on. She had discovered the trail one night when she had needed air, and the length walk gave Sakura a sense of peace. When she emerged from the forest onto the ridge, Sakura had realized how perfect the spot was for the early morning sunrise. From then she would rise early, trying to make it to the cliff before the sunrise began, so that she could witness the beauty from start to finish. However, she always managed to get held up by something every morning, and, therefore, was always late for the event.

Whether Amaya woke up, or Sakura simply got caught in thought, Sakura always managed to never make it out the door early enough to see the sunrise. It was silly, Sakura knew, to obsess over something so trivial, but Sakura needed to focus on something small and insignificant. If she focused on the big things that mattered, then the panic that always lay in wait would take Sakura over and render her useless.

Panic for Amaya, for the thought of her daughter finally learning how to use her ability; anxious thoughts at the seemingly never-ending stay with Pain and the Akatsuki; and flat out panic at the thought of returning to Konoha.

When would they return? Sakura couldn't tell, and, closing her eyes to the bright morning, Sakura didn't even know if they would return anytime soon. Or at all. All Sakura longed was to return to what she knew, but then Sakura knew that she couldn't. Not without Amaya learning to contain her Kekkei Genkai. And Sakura couldn't chance running off with Amaya. Besides, Sakura didn't want to.

The Akatsuki were treating the mother and daughter like one of their own, and it was something that Sakura hadn't expected. At first, the group had kept their distance and shrugged the pair off with a cold shoulder. But then, when Sakura had woken up to Amaya missing, Sakura had emerged from their room to find completely different men. The group had been talking with Amaya, indulging her questions, and laughing in joy and relaxation.

They could be kind, funny, caring, and everything in between. They came and went, carrying out short missions to bring in money for the group. But the cold shoulder was no longer given to Amaya and Sakura.

Why?

It was a question that Sakura couldn't answer, and didn't want to delve into. The answer didn't matter, anyways. They weren't here to make friends, only for Amaya to learn from Pain and then leave. Making friends would only slow them down, and Sakura knew that if Amaya became too attached then there would be no hope in leaving.

As it was, Sakura had become far too attached to Konan.

And Pain.

Just the thought of him sent butterflies through her stomach, and a shiver throughout her body. The man had been brief during their meetings in the days following their… outburst. She attended the teaching sessions with Amaya and him, but they didn't speak. And if the two did happen to speak to one another, it was brief. Very, very brief.

It was painful. It was torture. It was… justified.

Laying back against the soft, thick grass, Sakura stared up at the brightening, blue and pink.

Justified. Sakura and Pain… there was no way that Sakura could live out the various fantasies that had stuck in her mind. They came from two different worlds, and there was no way that the two worlds could mesh together. At all. One of them would have to give if their feelings were to play out, and Sakura knew that Pain wouldn't suddenly become a saint overnight.

Sakura would suffer. Amaya would suffer. And Sakura wasn't about to self-destruct her life because a man deemed her pretty to play with. And she liked it.

No way.

Sighing, Sakura rested her head on her hands. She needed to get back, but she would allow herself a few more moments of peace before heading back to the compound.

xxxXxxx

Pain had been gone the past few days, so Sakura's shoulders didn't weigh to heavy on her as she pushed open the sliding glass door that led to the kitchen. She had seen a few heads moving around the kitchen through the window, so she wasn't surprised when she entered the kitchen to find Deidara and Itachi moving around grabbing breakfast.

Neither had a mission today, or they would have been decked out in full gear. Both men wore simple black clothing, while Sakura wore comfortable, black, capri leggings and a bright red sports bra. In her rush this morning she had forgotten to grab her loose, white over shirt, and she felt slightly awkward walking around the two men. Even though they had seen her in her workout outfit before, it was still odd appearing so vulnerable to these s-class criminals.

Itachi merely glanced at Sakura, while Deidara seemed to perk up slightly. He had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep he had gotten the past few days, and Sakura suddenly wondered why the man was up in the first place.

"Dei, what are you doing up? You just got back from your mission a few hours ago," Sakura said, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

Deidara smiled slightly, pushing his long, thick, blonde hair out of his face. The locks were free to fall around his shoulders, as opposed to the thick ponytail that he always had his hair up in. Pouring himself coffee, and adding in a healthy amount of sugar and creamer, he managed a smile.

"Couldn't sleep," he replied, sipping at the mug in his hand, and leaning against the counter. He sighed, and his eyes closed.

Sakura pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes, and walked over to the man who was clearly not telling the truth. While Itachi buttered his toast, he kept an eye on Sakura as she approached Deidara.

Taking the mug from his grasp that was growing limp, Sakura snapped her fingers just in front of his face. He jumped, looking startled, and blinked. He focused on Sakura with wide eyes, and grasped for his mug.

"You're exhausted. Go to sleep," Sakura said, pulling the coffee further away from his gasp.

"I can't sleep, okay? Give me the coffee, yeah!" Deidara's eyes narrowed, and he reached for his coffee with growing irritation.

"No! You don't need coffee if you can't sleep. What you need is sleep if you can't sleep, so let me help you," Sakura shouted, and Deidara hesitated for a moment. His eyebrow raised as he gave her a once over, which made Sakura scoff.

"Oh, hell no," she growled, landing a slap across his cheek so hard that it sent Deidara flying backwards.

Deidara slammed into the counted, banging his head against the cabinets, and he slowly slid to floor as his vision fluttered. "Fuuuuuck, yeah," he groaned, head cradled in his lap.

Standing with her hand on her hip, Sakura 'humphed' and spun on her heels. "Serves you right," she muttered, taking a sip of the coffee and searching through the cabinets for her stash of herbs she had been building up.

Had someone moved them…? Just as the thought crossed her mind, Sakura's hand touched the pouch that had been pushed behind the cereal boxes.

Putting the tea kettle on the stove to heat, Sakura mixed a few herbs in a tea pouch and, just before the kettle began to sing, Sakura poured the hot water into another mug and let the tea steep.

"Are you poisoning me?" Deidara asked as he stood, rubbing his head. "Damn, that hurt, yeah."

"Serves you right," Itachi suddenly said from the bar, his eyes firmly on the book in his head. He took a bite of toast, and his eyes, just a moment, met Deidara's.

Deidara groaned. "Not you too," he said, leaning against the counter next to Sakura. "What—"

"Here. Drink this, and stop complaining," Sakura said, interrupting Deidara. Turning to Itachi, Sakura smiled, "Thank you."

Itachi saluted with his toast, and went back to his book.

Blinking, Deidara took the cup from her grasp and nodded a thank you. While Sakura cleaned up after herself, she was rewarded with Deidara taking longer and longer drinks from the mug.

"What is this?" Deidara asked, continuing to drink the tea Sakura had brewed for him.

"Peppermint leaf, Chamomile flower, Centella, Mugwort, Damiana leaf, Rosemary, Rose petals, and Stevia," Sakura listed, knocking each one off on a finger.

Deidara paused in his sipping, stared down at his almost-empty mug, and then back at Sakura. "I think you poisoned me."

Sakura snorted. "Dei, really?"

Deidara grinned, sipping his mug again, and, taking in a deep breath, exhaled in content.

"Whatever all of that is, it sure is relaxing," he said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

Sakura smiled. "It will give you very colorful dreams, help you sleep, and heal any minor wounds you have."

When he had sipped the last of the tea, Sakura plucked the mug from his hands and pushed him towards the doorway. "Now, go to sleep. You deserve it. Go."

"You are so motherly," Deidara murmured, eyes half lidded. "As long as I get food out of it, I'm good."

Sakura grinned, leaned against the counter, and crossed her arms as she watched him stumble down the hallway. Shaking her head, she placed the mug in the dishwasher and picked up the coffee mug. Taking a sip, she reached for a banana and jumped up on the counter.

It was just she and Itachi, and somehow that didn't bother Sakura. Itachi, after some thought, wasn't the worst one of the group to be alone with. That was Zetsu, and mainly because, well, he was a cannibal and talked to himself. A lot. And it freaked Sakura out, to tell the truth.

"You are motherly," Itachi said into the silence, placing his book on the counter and standing. He brought his dishes to the sink, which Sakura was sitting beside. "Since the last time I saw you, that is."

"Yesterday? Must be something in the water," Sakura joked, peeling her banana and taking a bite.

Itachi stuck her with a stare, and Sakura just grinned. "Since when you were younger," he corrected himself, rinsing his plate off and placing it in the dishwasher. "Sarcastic one."

"Oh, Itachi Uchiha has a sense of humor?" Sakura asked, eyes wide in mock surprise. "Shocking."

Rolling his eyes, Itachi dried his hands on the towel that hung on the oven door and shook his head.

"It suites you. I know you want what is best for her, and I understand," Itachi said, much to Sakura's surprise. She blinked, staring at the Uchiha. "If you need any help, any at all, don't hesitate to ask."

And with that, he turned, picked up his book, and left.

Well. Sakura stared at the doorway. That was the most Itachi Uchiha had said in all of the conversations she had had with him. Which wasn't many. But still. She'd talked with Zetsu more.

Finishing her banana, and making some tea of her own, although with different ingredients so that she would stay awake, Sakura made her way to the commons room. No one sat anywhere in the room, so Sakura took the opportunity to curl up on the couch with a blanket and her tea to watch television.

All was quiet in the two hours that followed. If anyone had missions, they would have been up by now. It was seven in the morning, and Sakura sat alone, curled up on the couch. Not that she was complaining. The compound had been buzzing for the past few weeks, so it was nice to have to silence to relax in and feel… normal.

Sakura was so engrossed in the random show that had come on TV that she jumped sky high when the front door opened. She turned, eyes wide, with the blanket pulled up close to her chin. She peeked over the back of the couch, and was met with Konan who was turned away while she closed the door.

When she turned back, she paused and stared at the frightened kunoichi.

"What are you doing?" Konan asked, eyebrow raised, and her expression was that of humor.

Sakura cleared her throat and righted herself. "You startled me," she said, trying to keep from laughing. The two kunoichi's stared at each other for a moment, and then busted out laughing.

"Sorry," Konan apologized, and made for the kitchen with the grocery bags in her hands.

Sakura was still giggling to herself when Konan came back into the room, and plopped down on the couch next to her. Konan handed Sakura a napkin with a strawberry covered chocolate donut, and Sakura grinned.

"How did you know?" she asked, taking a bite of the delicious baked good.

Konan bit into her own blueberry-chocolate donut, and shrugged. "I have my ways," she murmured, and stole the remote from Sakura's hip.

Opening her mouth to protest, Sakura realized she hadn't been really watching the show anyways. Besides, she was pretty sure she and Konan shared the same interests.

When she landed on the cooking channel, Sakura sighed in content. "Thank you," she murmured, curling up underneath the blanket as she ate her donut.

Konan huffed, shaking her head. "Did you doubt me?" she asked, rhetorically and sarcastically. Shaking her head, she undid her cloak and threw it over the back of the couch.

"Stop hogging the blanket," Konan said, pulling the fluffy blanket over her legs.

Sakura tugged the blanket back, turning her nose up. "Get you own," she said, but couldn't hold back the smile on her face.

"Um, excuse me, technically all of these are my blankets. Seeing as I'm a member and all," Konan retorted, her own smile showing her playfulness.

Eventually, Konan rose to grab herself a bright red, and even fluffier, blanket from her bedroom. The two girls curled up on the couch, and indulged themselves in the cooking shows.

"I wish I had a giant kitchen like some of these women do," Sakura said, and sighed.

"You do realize those kitchens are mostly for show, right?"

"Yes, but still. It would be nice to have a giant kitchen. I could bake to my heart's content."

Konan giggled. "Oh, the guys here love it when I get in the baking mood. I'm sure they would love to see what you could whip up. Even if I burn it, it still ends up in one of their stomachs. Their black holes when it comes to food."

Konan shook her head, and rolled her eyes. "We go through food like a zoo around here. It's ridiculous."

"Sounds like the Akatsuki, save for us, of course, need to go on a communal diet," Sakura said, and smirked. "If only we could force them to do that."

Konan snorted. "We're women. We can force them to do anything we want. It's in our nature."

"Well," Sakura started, adjusting her body. "You can force them to do anything. I'm still a prisoner here."

Konan was silent, and stared at the TV.

"Yeah," she finally said. "But not the usualy prisoner. You have free reign."

Sakura smiled a small, sad smile. "Yeah."

She could feel Konan's eyes on her, but Sakura merely stared at the cake battle commencing on the screen ahead of her.

"You're homesick," Konan murmured, and curled her legs up to her chest.

Sakura nodded, and looked down at her hands. "Of course. This wasn't the plan, you know. I didn't come searching for the Akatsuki. Pain found us, and, well, there was nothing I could do about that."

The air between them was silent, and when Sakura looked at Konan she found the other kunoichi staring at her knowingly.

"Even though you are a prisoner, Pain never had you treated as one. He holds you in high regard, you know. Before we got here, he gave the other members a scolding for thinking that you were free game to toy with. I've never seen him so angry."

Konan's words struck Sakura, and her eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

Konan bit her lip, and suddenly looked reluctant. "Oops, I probably shouldn't have told you that."

"No, it's okay," Sakura said, blinking and mulling over Konan's words.

Sakura opened her mouth to ask Konan a more personal question, regarding Pain, but Amaya's small voice sounded from the kitchen.

"Momma?"

Sakura smiled and looked over to the doorway to the kitchen. "In here, baby," she said, and Amaya appeared in the archway. "Hey, baby."

Amaya rubbed her eyes vigorously, and smiled at her mother. "Morning, Konan," Amaya greeted, and gave a small wave.

"Morning, Amaya," Konan said, and patted the cushion next to her. "Come sit with us. We'll turn it to cartoons for you."

Smiling, Amaya, tiredly, walked over and crawled up between the two women underneath the blanket. "Did you make breakfast already?"

Sakura shook her head, smoothing her hand over Amaya's snowy locks. "Nope. Bacon and eggs sound good?"

Amaya nodded, and Sakura threw the warm blanket off of her legs. "Alright, then. Bacon and eggs it is. How about a bacon, egg, and grape jelly muffin?"

To that, Amaya nodded and looked at her mother. "Yes, please."

Sakura met Konan's disgusted face, and she laughed. "I'll make you one, too. They're delicious."

Konan didn't look convinced, but Sakura turned before she could hear what the woman had replied.

xxxXxxx

The day went by fast. Everyone was back from missions, so the hideout was buzzing with activity. Training, eating, laundry, basically all of the things that Sakura never pictured S-Class criminals doing.

Throughout the day, Sakura merely observed. After Konan's comment about home sickness, Sakura's mood had soured and had remained that way for the day to come. It wasn't Konan's fault that Sakura was in this position. Sakura had asked Pain if she could stay so that Amaya could learn to control herself.

Sakura hadn't pictured how hard it would be, though.

It was dark outside as Sakura fell to the grass, and soon she was surrounded by her wolves. They were free to roam the forest around the hideout, but had to remain within the boundaries that were marked. Per Pain's instructions, of course.

The mere thought of the man sent Sakura's body into a flutter of activity: her stomach rolled, her breath caught, and her lower body tingled. She still hadn't forgotten the moment she and Pain had shared when she woke up here, and she didn't think she would forget the feeling for a long while.

Pain was a mystery to Sakura, and he was one that she longed to solve. All she wanted to do, when she saw him, was push him against the wall and explore his body, which remained hidden underneath his cloak.

On the other hand, she knew she should stay far away from the man who lead the organization hell bent on taking over the world.

Sakura was split, and she was leaning towards the more dangerous side.

Ookami nuzzled her neck as she lay in the grass, and she lifted a hand to run it through his course fur. "Hey," she whispered, and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Running made it feel like she was getting somewhere, when, in reality, she was stuck in place. Not that she should or could complain. She had done this to herself, to protect her daughter.

She knew it was the right thing to do, yet something felt off. She knew she shouldn't feel at home here, watching all of these criminals live their lives, but she felt… comfortable. Like she was on the right path, and nothing was wrong.

How long had it been since Pain had picked them up just inside the Amegakure borders? A month? It had felt like the longest month of Sakura's life, and she wondered if the Leaf was even still looking for them. If so, she hadn't heard anything through the grapevine of information that the group was. The Leaf hadn't threatened the Akatsuki in any way, and, in a way, Sakura was glad.

Glad, because there was no way that Sakura was leaving. Not when Amaya was learning important tools in controlling her Blood Release; her Ketsueki Ririsu. She was so close, yet so far from learning what she needed to learn. There was so much that Amaya needed to know, and Pain was only grazing the bare minimum.

It wasn't enough, and Sakura knew that. Sakura knew that her daughter was dangerous, and that the leaf wouldn't take her abilities lightly. But if Sakura could show them that she was in control…

How would she explain where Amaya learned her control?

Curling into a ball, Sakura buried her head in her arms.

' _Oh, God. What have I done?'_

Sakura couldn't tell the leaf that her daughter learned her abilities through the leader of the Akatsuki. They would immediately be shunned. Imprisoned. Amaya questioned, relentlessly.

Yet Sakura felt, and knew, deep inside, that this felt right. It felt right to be here, to be learning from Pain, and to be sheltered by him.

Damn the consequences. Sakura would cross that bridge when she got there.

' _Snap_.'

Sakura's head jerked up and to the left, just as the five wolves around her jumped to their feet. Sunao, who was closest to the sound, bared her teeth and snarled. Sakura gripped the kunai she had snatched from her thigh pouch, but her body went lax when her eyes lit on a familiar face.

"Welcome back," Sakura greeted, and allowed her long, pink hair to cover her face. To hide how puffy her eyes had become.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Pain asked, ignoring her greeting, and stepping out of the shadows. The cold wind picked up, and blew the leaves across the ground. His cloak fluttered, but he remained still against the tree line.

Sakura returned the kunai to its pouch, and, with a sigh, pushed herself into a crouch. Standing, she turned away from the man who plagued her thoughts, and began walking back towards the hideout.

"I was out for a run, if you need to know. But I'm heading back. I'm not running away." She motioned forward, and the five wolves around her took off towards the hideout.

"I never said you were."

His voice resonated from just in front of her, and Sakura paused to look up from the ground which she had been staring intently at. Suddenly, a strong hand pushed the hair from her face, and she turned her head away, closing her eyes.

"You were crying," Pain acknowledged, and Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I was going over what a cluster fuck my life had suddenly become. Not that it matters to you; you're not the one who has a home to return to," Sakura snapped, her wet eyes finally landing on his ringed orbs. "I'm not here for me, I'm here for Amaya. But that doesn't make it any less hard."

"You asked me to stay."

"I know that," Sakura retorted, jaw tight. "I just didn't expect whatever this is between us to come up." Sakura turned away from his hand, which had paused in pushing her hair back. His hand fell. "I don't know what that was the other day, but it was something. Being here is hard enough. Being around everyone, having to come up with a new routine… I was perfectly happy back home, and then this happened."

Pain's eyes narrowed, and Sakura crossed her arms tight across her chest.

"Are you sure about that?" Pain asked, and took a step closer. "Are you sure you were happy? Because you were all too excited to stay away from your home a few weeks ago."

"You gave me _no_ choice. _Amaya_ gave me _no_ choice," Sakura shouted, and threw her hands out. "You stole my freedom from me, and now we're here."

"You have freedom, Sakura," Pain said. "You have the freedom to wander where your heart pleases you, to train, to live. It's not your home, but this is what you chose. Until Amaya could control herself."

Sakura closed her eyes, to try and banish the tears away, but she only succeeded in making the wetness spill down her cheeks. "I know," she whispered, taking a step back when Pain came towards her. She held her hands out, to hold him at bay. "And I feel so at home here."

Pain's footsteps stopped, and she could feel his gaze on her.

"It feels right that I ended up here, with Amaya. It doesn't feel wrong, it's never felt wrong. Which is the problem. This morning, I curled up on the couch of the hideout of an organization trying to take over the world, and I ate a donut with an s-class criminal while watching the food channel. I was so relaxed, much more relaxed than I _ever_ was in Konoha. There's something _wrong_ with that. I should be wanting to go home, but I'm not. I've been sitting out here for hours, trying to put myself back together, and figure out where my life has gone. But I can't see where it's going. That scares me, Pain. I'm scared, I'm confused, and you're not helping me in the least."

Pain came towards her, and Sakura couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes. She couldn't push down the emotions that rose when he was around anymore, and they, somehow, came to the surface in a ball of confusion. Sakura didn't know how to feel, how to react while he was near, and Sakura merely pushed her hands out.

"Please, don't," Sakura whispered, shaking her head and looking away from him.

Suddenly, Sakura's back connected with a thick, oak tree, and Pain was directly in front of her.

"There is nothing wrong with feeling," Pain said, gripping her hands with his own, and sliding his hands up her arms ever so slowly.

Sakura stared at his chest, wanting so bad to feel nothing but numb, but all she could feel was warmth. Warmth from where his hands connected with her skin, and the incessant need to feel more. She wanted more of his touch, more of his silky, smooth voice, and more of his body pressed against hers.

She wanted him, no matter what the cluster of emotions inside of her meant. She wanted him, right now, pressed against her, and when she lifted her gaze to stare into his eyes she was met with the same heat in his own gaze.

Reaching her hands out to press through the material of the trademark Akatsuki cloak, Sakura slowly opened his cloak to reveal the standard shinobi, black gear beneath. Somehow, the clothes had never looked so good on a body.

Running her hands over his chest, Sakura's gaze became heated. His hand came to rest next to her head, against the bark of the oak, where he leaned on his hand. His head dipped rest just next to her face, and his sweet, warm breath ran over her neck.

Sakura shivered, and she could hear the mischievous smile in his voice when he spoke.

"It's okay to feel confused," he said, and ran his other hand down her body to rest on her hip.

"It's okay to feel scared," he murmured against her ear, pressing his body into hers. She groaned when his nipped at her ear, and trailed his lips to rest against her neck.

"It's okay to _feel_ ," he growled, and his strong hands lifted Sakura against him. Her legs came to circle around his waist, and her arms looped around his neck. She hoisted herself up against him, and ground her core into him.

His groan was like music to her ears, and she trailed her own set up nips and kisses up his collarbone, neck, strong jawline, and, finally, their lips met. Slow at first, and, almost like a switch flipped, their lips crashed together with heat, passion, and need.

Pain pressed himself into her, pressing her further up the tree until her head was level with his. She was so small compared to him, and it was fucking amazing to feel enveloped by his strong, muscular body.

Sakura slid the cloak from his body, and it fell to the ground at his feet. She could feel his muscular frame through the thin material of his shirt, and her whole body shivered at the thought of having skin on skin contact with him. Sakura's own thin shirt, she knew, wasn't hiding her own body's reaction to his touch.

"Pain," she whispered, her voice betraying the pleasure she felt as his hands ran over her body. Slowly, Pain worked her shirt over her head, and her hands did the same with his. Suddenly, as their skin met, chests pressed against each other, the electricity between them sparked. The passion flared, and Sakura felt when her bra was unsnapped.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, his lips were there, taking her already hard nipple into his mouth, and, biting down gently, his eyes met Sakura's wide eyes. Sakura gasped, and moaned, unable to control the sound that came from her mouth.

His left arm held her tight to him, locked around her waist, while his right hand worked its way into her hair. He gently tugged at the pink locks, and her head followed as he exposed her neck. His lips kissed their way upward until his teeth grazed over her jugular, and her breath caught in her throat.

There was so much electricity running between them that it was hard for Sakura to catch her breath, to think, to feel anything other than the need for Pain.

" _I want to feel_ ," she whispered, eyes rolling in pleasure at his teeth bit down on the junction of her neck and shoulder. "I want you to _make_ me feel."

Sakura's hands found their way into his own orange, spiky hair, and she tugged, harder than he had, until he relented and gave her his neck. She left her own series of bites along his jugular, his neck, and finally bit down hard just above his collarbone. Pain groaned, and pressed her further into him if that was possible.

His arousal suddenly pressed into her core, and Sakura moaned, loud and unexpectedly. She remembered when he had pressed against her in bed, and couldn't help but want to feel more of him. She craved to feel his skin moving against her, and, as she dropped her legs from around his hips, she missed the contact that the position had given her. He bent down, his lips crashing with hers, and, placing her hands on his chest, she spun them and pressed him back against the tree.

Pain groaned. " _Sakura_."

Running her nails down his chest, his breath came fast and his eyes were blazing as they ran over her small frame before him. He made to pull her into him again, to meet her lips with his own, but Sakura shook her head. Biting her lip, she followed her hands down his chest and, on her knees before him, she mouth him through his pants.

The moan that ripped from his lips sent a spark through her core. God, his moaning was sexy as Hell.

His hands, at his sides, gripped the tree behind him as Sakura slowly unzipped and unbuttoned his pants. He couldn't tear his eyes away from hers, which were locked onto him. As she licked her lips and pulled him out from tight space his pants had become, his eyes closed, and Sakura was sure she saw his eyes roll back in his head.

She brought her hand to grip his thick member, and she was amazed at how big he was. He had felt big pressed against her, but nothing prepared her for the feel of him in her hand. His member was hard, long, and inviting as Sakura swirled her tongue around his tip. His body shivered, and she was sure that he might pass out from holding his breath so long. When he let his breath out, his moan accompanied the rush, which pushed Sakura further.

Taking him slowly, inch by torturing inch, she took him into her mouth, and, when he was fully sheathed, she slowly pulled back while sucking him in deep.

"Oh, _God_ ," Pain groaned, and one hand came to grip her hair. " _Stop_."

Shaking her head, Sakura sucked him in deep again and again, and Pain made no actual move to stop her. She had to push back the need to grin around his cock in triumph, and she worked her tongue over his tip each time she pulled away. What she couldn't sheath with her mouth, she worked with her small hands. God, she would never forget the feel of him in her mouth, in her hands. His skin was so soft, and he was so hard, for her…

Suddenly, Pain wrenched her head away from him with a tug of her hair, and he pulled her up to him in one motion. His lips crashed against hers, and his tongue invaded her mouth. The battle for dominance of the situation ensued as each pushed back and forth with their mouths, arms gripping one another tightly. Eventually, Sakura conceded and allowed Pain to gain control of the situation.

Suddenly, she was pressed into the tree, her breast tingling in the cold air. She didn't have long to feel cold, though, as Pain's strong, taught body pressed against her once more. This time, his hand found the juncture between her legs and he didn't hold back. Sakura moaned in surprise as his hand worked at her clit, and his fingers slid teasingly into her core.

"Pain, Pain _Pain_ ," she whispered, breathing fast and moans short and sweet. "Oh, _Pain_."

"What?" he whispered, mouth pressed against her ear as she writhed against him. "What do you want?"

"You," Sakura moaned, burying her head into his chest. "I want you. Now."

Suddenly, Pain paused. Both of their breath was labored, and Sakura whined when he pulled his hands away from her core. "Don't be so anxious, Blossom," Pain murmured, and gently kissed her lips.

"Why?" she hissed, pressing in him and scraping her nails down his chest.

Pain hissed in return, and shivered at the pain her nails caused him. "You," he ground out, almost as a curse, but pulled himself away. "Go back to the hideout, and I'll meet you in my room."

Sakura's eyebrows knit together in disappointment, but as Pain whispered exactly why he wanted her in his bedroom, immediately, the fire between Sakura's legs became unquenchable.

Nodding, she slipped her shirt over her torso, and grabbed for her bra, which she shoved into her pocket.

"I'll be there soon," Pain murmured, holding her to him a moment longer before he let her go. "Go."

Sakura nodded, eyes closed, and she turned to take off at a dead sprint towards the hideout.

She could still feel him against her as she ran, and the cloud in her head didn't clear until she had almost reached the hideout. She had just…

And she didn't feel the least guilty about what she had done, or what she was going to do once Pain met her in his bedroom. Not even the slightest. In that moment, she was more herself than she had been for years. And it felt _good_.

* * *

Chapter Eight! Hope you all enjoyed. Spicing things up and all. I'll try and be faster with my uploads! Going through the college "Sophomore Slump" right now.

ANYWAYS! Review, review, review! They help give me confidence!

I love you all who enjoy this story, and are following this story as it progresses. I hope to please with each new chapter! If not, please let me know :)

MUCH LOVE!

~Adoration


	9. Lost Then Found

_He is the flame_  
 _He draws me in_  
 _That burns within_  
 _It's a pain, it's so sweet, oh_  
 _The fix, the craze, by now he needs_  
 _Only I can't breathe_  
 _And I just can't pull away_  
 _Can't get away, oh, oh_

 _From the fire, fire, fire_  
 _I never wanna put it out_  
 _Burning, burning, burning_  
 _Fire, fire, fire_  
 _I never wanna put it out_  
 _Burning, burning, burning_

 _-Fire, Jessie J_

* * *

Chapter Nine

Blood.

Everywhere.

There was blood everywhere, and Sakura was frozen. As warm as the sticky liquid was, she should have been warmed up and ready to move. But Sakura, as the blood ran over her ivory, creamy skin, and her arms were heavy with his body, remained frozen in her hiding spot. The trees swayed in the wind around her, but, other than that, the forest remained dead silent.

She hadn't realized that they were surrounded. She hadn't even realized that when Pain sent her away, he hadn't intended to follow her. He'd intended to remain where he was a fight the enemy off himself. Without her.

Looking down at his still form, barely breathing, she felt that she should hate him. She knew that she should hate him. Yet, as she caressed his bloody face, she couldn't. Not when she knew that he would probably die because of her mistake.

She had been so stupid. She had gotten everyone out of the compound, Amaya included. But then she returned to help Pain, even when he specifically told everyone to clear the area. Of course she hadn't listened, because she thought that she could help. She could be of assistance.

She should have known better—should have known she was out of his league.

Now, as he lay unconscious in her arms, and with her chakra increasingly depleted, Sakura felt like a young Genin all over again. Always following in the shadow of others, who were much stronger, and much more experienced than she.

Suddenly, Pain sucked in a wheezing breath. Coughing, blood spewed over his chin and down to his chest. Sakura pulled him closer, pressing her hand harder against the wound in his chest. She had never seen his face in so much pain. When she threaded her hand with his, he squeezed with all of his might. It gave her hope, and Sakura pressed her forehead to his.

"Please," she whispered, willing his eyes to open and meet hers. Stay open. "Stay with me. _Live_."

Her whole body hurt. She had used her Strength of a Hundred Seal, along with the Creation Rebirth, to help fend of the summoned creatures that were used to counter his own. Her wolves have done their own damages, growing in size with the help of a few combat jutsu Kiba had taught her.

His body went from rigid to slack, slowly, but he remained breathing. He was unconscious. Again.

Grimacing in frustration, Sakura pushed as much chakra as she could to her hands and began to heal him. She had to do something—she couldn't sit around and let him die. Not when she had been the one to get in the way, to keep Pain from doing what he knew how to do.

So stupid. Stupid, stupid Sakura.

Always hurting those around her.

She wanted to hate him. But she couldn't. Not when he had so selflessly protected her, her daughter, and his members. Not when she cared so much about him already, because hating him would only make her love him more.

It wasn't love. Not yet, anyways. Maybe not ever. But something drew Sakura to Pain like a moth to a flame. Even that analogy wasn't strong enough. Something made her body go crazy, feeling the need to be by his side. But that was the same need that had put them in this situation—and Pain was going to die. They could have intellectual conversations, he could provide Sakura with everything she needed, and he never expected anything in return. Never asked for anything.

But that look he had given Sakura, just as he had shielded her, was the same look that Kohaku had given her before he was killed. The look that even though he may never see her again, he would die happy as he stared into her eyes. He had mouthed something, but she hadn't been able to make it out.

Pressing her glowing hand further into his chest, Sakura hugged her other arm around his shoulders and rocked back and forth.

"Please wake up," she whispered; begged. "I don't care if you hurt. I don't care if you're screaming. Just please, wake up so I know you're okay."

When he didn't answer, tears sprang to her eyes.

Blood dripped from her hair onto his face.

She shook his slightly.

"Pain," she whispered, shaking him a little more. " _Pain_."

Hunching over him, she laid her head on his chest so that she could hear his heart beat. It thudded, softly, in her ear. It gave her comfort, and kept her from screaming.

"You will live," she whispered forcefully, body shaking with intent. "You will live, even if I have to beat your heart for you. _You. Will. Live_."

Sakura didn't know how long it was, but, as the rain began to fall through the thick, dense, tree tops, she knew that it was a miracle that Pain was still holding on. Her chakra, slowly depleting to a dangerous level, was still moving through his body. Keeping his body functioning—keeping his organs from failing.

When the branch snapped beside her, she didn't move a muscle. She couldn't—her body hurt so much. His pain became her pain, and she knew that, if she was going to die, that she was going to die holding Pain close to her. Protecting him as best as she could.

"Sakura," Konan whispered, close to her.

Sakura flinched, eyes wide. Had her eyes been open this entire time? Wide, terrified, and ever watchful?

Konan's hands came to rest over Sakura's, but she didn't move. Didn't look around. She knew that more than Konan's eyes were on her. Had the enemy finally gathered their dead and left?

How long had they been here?

"Sakura, you're okay. Pain will be okay. Let go."

Sakura's head snapped up, meeting Konan's eyes, and if she had been a wolf her teeth would have been bared, hackles raised, and snarls rivaling those of the most ferocious wolf in existence.

Konan's hands snapped back, and her eyes widened. Sakura must have been a sight—covered in blood, eyes wild, and hands in the body of their leader. Itachi stood just behind Konan, hands on her back to keep her from falling. Kisame just behind him, with Deidara and Hidan as well.

"Sakura," Konan whispered, eyes falling in understanding. "I know. I know. You've done everything you can for him. Let me help him. And you. Please."

Sakura stared, unblinkingly, into Konan's truthful eyes filling with sadness and understanding.

"If I let him go he'll die," Sakura said, voice hoarse and shaking.

Konan slowly shook her head, and placed her hands over Sakura's again. "We've got him, Sakura. I promise you."

Slowly, but surely, Sakura loosened her grip on Pain. It was hard, to let him go, but she knew that Konan would know what to do. Konan was an amazing shinobi, and could almost surpass Sakura in her medical ninjutsu. Almost.

Sakura couldn't move. She remained against the tree, surrounded by shrubbery, and watched as Kisame gingerly lifted their leader into his arms and disappeared with Konan.

Deidara was suddenly in front of Sakura, a smile on his lips.

"Amaya is waiting," he said, his long, flowing, blonde hair cascading over his shoulders. Sakura's would look like that, except for hers was caked to her body with blood. Everything was caked in blood.

Pain's blood.

Sakura nodded, though, because Amaya was waiting. Amaya, her daughter, needed her. Needed her to be okay. And, if Pain survived, she would need to be functional. Ready to leave. Prepared to face the consequences of putting him in so much risk, causing him so much harm.

Deidara lifted her when she couldn't stand, and, when she was tucked safely into his arms, she fell into the black void that had been threatening to take her into oblivion since she had sat down.

xxxXxxx

 _"You did all you could."_

 _"You saved him, Sakura."_

 _"Kunoichi. That was the bravest thing any of us could have done. No one defies him, but you did. And it saved him."_

 _"Sakura, you're okay."_

 _"You're alive."_

 _"He's alive."_

 _"Pain is alive. Because of you."_

The words rolled around in Sakura's head, her eyes trained on the fire in the large fireplace. The new base was bigger than the last. Much bigger. This hideout was better hidden, one of the only remaining holes that hadn't been discovered by Akatsuki enemies.

The identities of the shinobi that had attacked them remained a mystery, but Konan had dug up that they had been rogue assassins for hire. Tracking their orders was proving to be hard, seeing as most of them had died in the battle.

Not that it was important. The Akatsuki had many enemies, and never ran out of battles to be fought in defense. But it would be nice to know where the majority of the hostility was coming from, to prepare for the next bout of attacks. If there were any to come.

Sakura sat, curled up on the couch in Pain's study. Buildings changed, scenery changed, yet décor stayed the same. Pain always had a study, with a large fireplace and many books. Well read, well used, and loved books. The room was clean, from top to bottom. Not a speck of dust was present on anything in the room, which should have made Sakura wonder about how often they switched bases.

Either way, this was her favorite of the two previous settings she had been in. This base, being larger and well-hidden and protected, allowed for much more freedom. Much more. Sakura could even go into town on her own, now that she had the trust of the other members.

Explicit, hard earned, trust. Trust that Sakura wasn't sure she deserved, needed, or should have.

She was the enemy, yet, somehow, she felt more at home than she had ever back home in Konoha. She hadn't even had time to miss her home in the recovery process from the attack. It had been two weeks, and Pain was recovering nicely.

Not that Sakura went to see him. Often.

The few times that she strayed into his large room had been when he was asleep, to check to make sure he was still alive. Every time she saw his still form, she longed to place her head on his chest. To make sure he was still breathing. To make sure his heart still beat in his chest, just as she had for all those hours on the forest floor.

Pain was alive, and that was what mattered. And, as much as Sakura enjoyed it here at base, she knew that she had to leave. As much praise as the others gave her, she had caused Pain to put himself in harms way in the first place. That was unacceptable, and avoidable. All she had to do was leave.

So, why hadn't she left yet?

She couldn't bring herself to pack up and go. Not with how much her mind and body screamed at her to stay, that something was coming that she shouldn't miss. Something was coming, but she didn't know what. She didn't know why she stayed, but something felt… off, about the idea of returning. Like it wasn't safe. Not just yet. But why wouldn't it be? Konoha was her home, and her friends had to be worried about her. Just a few days ago, Itachi had reported that Naruto had been spotted a few villages over. Searching for Sakura and Amaya, along with Kiba and Shikamaru.

It broke Sakura's heart to stay where she was, to resist the urge to run to them and exclaim, "I'm okay! I'm alive! We're fine!" But she knew that it wasn't time, not yet. Not when something felt oh so wrong, and… not right. At all.

The logs in the fire broke, sending sparks spewing upwards. They spiraled in the air, before settling back into the flames and smoke.

Sakura sipped her hot chocolate, made by Itachi of all people, and focused on the flames. The flames were easy to understand, and captivated her eyes. Flames engulfed, licked at their target, and slowly devoured. The flames soothed her soul, and gave her relief as she watched them devour the wood. Gave her relief that something else was being devoured besides her.

He was beautiful, so handsome, so strong, and so out of her league. Why would Pain want a weakling like her, someone who couldn't even take orders?

It baffled Sakura that had asked for her, many times during his recovery. She hadn't gone to him, because she didn't need to be reminded of the pain that she put him in. Because she failed to listen.

The flames crackled, Sakura sipped, curled underneath he blanket and the door to Pain's study closed softly.

Sakura hadn't even heard anyone approached, so when she turned her head she was shocked to see Pain of all people. Well, this was his study. And he was recovering smoothly. So, what did she really expect? She was in his domain, in his way, again.

Quickly averting her eyes, Sakura threw the blanket off and made to stand.

"Stop," Pain said, softer than she had expected, and she froze. Drink in one hand, blanket in the other, Sakura stood staring at Pain across the room. Pain tried to meet her gaze directly, but she only stared at his chest where the large hole had been two weeks ago. "Sit."

Sakura did as commanded, and sank back into the comfortable couch. The fire blazed with heat, but her body still shivered in his presence. She wasn't cold; she was terrified, humiliated, ashamed, and aroused all at once.

Pain did that to her, made her emotions go crazy with uncertainty. Another reason she should hate him.

Yet she couldn't.

He made his way over to the couch, slowly, and stood in front of Sakura. She was prepared for anything. Yelling, screaming, hitting, death. Nothing prepared her for when he kneeled in front of her, taking the mug from her hand, placing it on the side table. He reached out, took her hands in his own, and willed her to look at him. When she hesitantly met his gaze, his eyes were sincere.

To the untrained eye, his ringed Rinnengan was emotionless. But Sakura knew better.

"Thank you."

The words were a shock, and Sakura visibly recoiled. She shook her head, a minuscule movement, and closed her eyes. "Don't say that to me."

"I can, and I will. I can, because I am here to do so. You saved my life. I will, because you disobeyed my orders and _saved my life_ when I was so sure I didn't _need_ saving."

Sakura shook, but, after a small silence, Pain continued.

"You never came to me," he whispered, and Sakura glanced at him quickly. He wasn't looking at her, but at their joined hands. Her small, ivory fingers were so small in his large, calloused hands. He was so powerful, and she was not.

"I put you in danger. I acted without thinking, and you paid the price. I put myself in danger, and forced you to protect me. You don't need to look at me."

"Sakura," Pain said, a bit more forcefully, and Sakura met his strong gaze. "You're kidding yourself if you think I'm forced to do anything. Ever."

He was right. Pain never did anything, even if he was under pressure.

"I came to you, not because I was forced to protect you, but because you needed protecting and I wanted to provide that. I wanted to shelter you, to give you safety, to defend you. I don't defend those who don't deserve it, and I don't waste my time on those who I don't wish to see."

His gaze was strong, but, suddenly, Sakura knew when his demeanor softened. Ever so slightly.

"And I will look at you, because looking at you gives me strength. Looking at you gives me happiness. Looking at you…" It was Pain's turn to close his eyes, and, as he did, he let out a breath so calm that it washed Sakura in his breath of cinnamon and spice, and calmed her too.

"You do things to me. Just looking at you, thinking about you, it weakens me to a point I have never been before. But look at you gives me strength. Looking at you builds me up, more than I could do for myself. You are strong, strong enough to not need my help. Yet you allow me to help you, to watch over you, to care for you, and that is an honor in itself."

His words ran through her, warmed her blood, and made her blood sizzle in places that only he could evoke passion in.

Suddenly, Sakura met his gaze his as fervor. Her gaze ran over him, his body, strong and lean. His intact, breathing, alive body.

"You're alive," she whispered, blinking.

Pain squeezed her fingers, just as he had in the forest, and Sakura's throat closed. "I'm alive," he echoed, and Sakura fell to her knees in front of him. His arms encased her, and her head instantaneously leaned against his chest. His heart beat strong, and her body shivered at the warmth he emitted. He had been so cold. Oh, so cold.

Now, Pain was warm. Pain was enticing. Pain was drawing her chin up, so that his lips met hers in a tender kiss, and she responded with equal tenderness.

She had convinced herself he was going to die, and she couldn't have seen him here. Couldn't have seen him die, just like Kohaku had. She couldn't hold another man in her arms and allow him to die. And she hadn't. Pain was here, alive, in her arms, and breathing the same breath as she.

The kiss strengthened, and, as her legs came to circle his hips, he laid back so that she was atop him. Straddling him. Engulfing him.

And instead of allowing her thoughts of him to engulf her alive, she took him in and intended to never let go.

One arm circled around her waist, hugging her to him, while the other came to thread in her hair. Her beautiful, long, flowing hair, blood and mud free. His touch was like fire over his skin, and there wasn't a part of her body, soon enough, that wasn't engulfed by the flames of his touch.

"I thought you were dead," Sakura whispered against his lips, and brought her hands up to caress over his broad, muscular chest. Over his clavicle, his shoulders, and up his neck to cup his face. "I told myself you were dying, because I couldn't handle you being mad at me. Hating me. I couldn't leave you."

Pain's jaw clenched, and both of his hands came to cup her neck. His thumbs massaged over her silky skin, and his eyes bore into hers. "I could be mad at you. I could yell and scream. I could do many things. But I would never hate you; I could never send you away."

"You are here—" he whispered, kissing her chin, "—you are alive—" he kissed her neck, teeth scraping over her skin "— _and you are mine_."

As the words left his mouth, Sakura knew that her thoughts mirrored his. That her body responded to his like it had never responded to a man before, not even Kohaku's. As her body melded with his, as her skin pressed close with his, and her body became one with his, she was lost.

Lost, and then found. A phoenix burning in the crucible, and then rising from the ashes.

Her body became one with his, and, as he leaned over her, hands encasing her face, she could think of nothing but him. Pain. With her. Over her. Thrusting himself into her body, mind, and soul.

The words were never said, but Sakura didn't feel the need to say them. As their bodies connected, and their minds connected, the passion was there. The love was there, and Sakura knew, when she gazed into Pain's eyes, that he felt it too. And then some.

The passion his body held, the need, was all mirrored in Sakura.

Seven years had passed since Kohaku had died, and Sakura had to tell herself that he was gone every day. Two weeks had passed where she had convinced herself that Pain was dead, and she had died inside more in those two weeks that she had died in the past seven years. Sakura had thought she knew what loss was, and she did. But the thought of losing Pain… It was everything. It engulfed her. It devoured her from the inside out.

But Pain was here. He had come back, and Kohaku hadn't, and she had to let him go. Let the past rest, let the future come, and let Pain wash over her in an awakening that would change the course of Sakura's life.

* * *

Merry Christmas, everyone! Sorry this is sooooooo late. Life got in the way. I hope to be uploading more soon, so I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit. I was listening to Sunshine Soundtrack-Surface of the Sun while writing this; I think it sets the mood if you want to play it on repeat in the background.

Well, have a happy holidays! As always, review! Even a few words encourage me!

Best,

~Ella


	10. Beg

Hey Everyone!

Sorry for the late update. I'm adding song lyrics that inspired the chapter to the beginning of each chapter. So, if you're curious you can take a look back! I love you guys, I really do. My readers make my day. Love you all! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 _"Imma make you beg, Imma make you beg for it_  
 _If you don't do this right, you're going home alone_  
 _I guess you'll have to beg_  
 _Imma make you beg, Imma make you beg for it."  
_  
 _-Beg For It, Iggy Azalea_

 _"Won't you beg me and then tell me how to love you_  
 _Like anybody else would_  
 _I know you're risking failure (risking failure)_  
 _Go run for cover (for how long)_  
 _You better start to love her so much you're moving on and on."  
_  
 _-Beg, Evans Blue_

* * *

Chapter Ten

It really hadn't hit Sakura how normal her life seemed to be. She had been with the Akatsuki for three months now, and each day that passed seemed to be more bearable than the last. In Konoha, Sakura felt the pain of her past every moment that she lived and breathed. But now…

It was fading. Which was the last thing she should could have ever wanted. Sakura lived with the pain of her past. That was just what she did, and doing anything different… Well, that _wasn't_ normal. She didn't want to forget the past, but she didn't want to live in it either.

Live _with_ it, maybe, but not _in_ it.

And here, she was learning to do that. She wasn't exposed to the memories every moment of everyday; she found herself making new ones.

Which was the last thought that ran through her head before Amaya's joyful shout intruded her thoughts.

Smiling, Sakura brought the coffee to her lips and sipped.

The playground didn't have any other children on it, but Itachi followed the small girl around. Catching her, watching her. Currently, Itachi was pushing Amaya—very high—on the swing.

Sakura knew she should hate Itachi Uchiha, but he didn't seem to be the savage, S-Class criminal everyone made him out to be. None of them appeared that way to Sakura, or Amaya. And it was strange, but, as she thought before, she was getting used to it. These men and women were nothing more than people who had gotten on the wrong side of the law. Maybe murdered and maimed a few people. But…

Well, Sakura didn't think about that aspect too much.

"What's going on with you and Pain?"

The question threw Sakura for a loop, and she prolonged the sip of her coffee as she thought. Konan sat next to her on the park bench, sipping her own tea, while her eyes remained strongly fixed on Sakura.

Clearing her throat, Sakura swallowed. Thinking. Contemplating.

"We're fine," she replied, finally.

She should have known someone would ask sooner or later, but… Konan was different. From what Sakura knew, Konan had spent most of her life with Pain. Maybe all of it. And now that Sakura was… Whatever she was to Pain, it left Konan in the dust. But, had Konan been that to Pain at one point? In a way, it hurt Sakura to think about the idea. But, at the same time, Sakura had to understand that both Pain and she weren't teenagers and had been intimate before each other.

Konan snorted. "Oh, we all know you both are 'fine,' Sakura. Trust me."

Sakura's skin bloomed a bright red that rivaled Itachi's sharingan up from her neck, and then over her cheeks.

Konan's eyes widened, and, lowering her tea, she gave Sakura a shit eating grin. "So it _is_ true."

"What?" Sakura asked, avoiding the sparkle in Konan's eyes. Sakura still couldn't gage Konan's reaction, but, taking in the woman's mischievous smile, Sakura knew that she wasn't about to be killed.

"You and Pain are way more than 'fine,' Sakura. You're never in your room, and, whenever anyone needs you, you're coming from Pain's wing of the base. Trust me, you've tried to hide it, but everyone has pretty much figured out that something is going on."

Sakura inwardly groaned, but, outwardly, she shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She avoided Konan's eyes for as long as she could, but, eventually, she gave in. Glancing at the woman, she was suddenly caught in her amber gaze, and her façade crumbled.

"That obvious?" Sakura murmured, and Konan's smile widened even further if that was possible.

"Good God," Konan sighed, closing her eyes. " _Finally_."

It was Sakura's turn to snort. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Konan rolled her eyes. "From the moment he brought you to me, I could tell there was more than just interest in Amaya. Even if it was a slight interest. Besides, Pain needs someone to keep him in line. Make him happy."

Sakura's eyes fell slightly, and she glanced back to Amaya. "I don't do that. Not for him."

Which was a lie. She knew how relaxed he became around her, even if the others were around. He would relax ever so slightly, and fall a little bit into her eyes. Become slightly distracted, and even more so when they were alone. She hadn't slept in her own bed since he had come to her a little while ago, and Sakura wasn't complaining about it.

"Liar," Konan said, calling her on her words, and she lightly shoved at the pinkette's shoulder. "I know even you can tell there _is_ a difference in him."

Sipping her tea, Konan looked away from Sakura and sighed. It was a contented sigh, and Sakura's nerves calmed ever so slightly. "He's been alone for so long, that you're good for him. Whether either of you know it, you're good for each other. I've watched you, too, Sakura, and you're not as distant as you used to be."

Sakura was a bit taken aback by the observation, even though it _was_ true. To be honest, Sakura didn't think that Konan paid that much attention to how she behaved.

Smiling, Sakura downed the rest of her coffee and threw away the cup in the trash can a few feet away. "I know," she finally acknowledged, and gave Konan a little shove in return. "I might not acknowledge it, but I know."

"Don't say anything to anyone, please," Sakura suddenly said, and looked down at her empty hands. "Not even Amaya. I'm not even sure that Pain feels anything towards me."

Which Sakura knew was another lie, but she didn't want to begin hoping for something that didn't exist.

"Lies. All of it, Sakura," Konan groaned, humorously, and crossed her legs. "Just like you won't acknowledge it, neither will he. Unless it came down to life or death for you, he would never acknowledge the way he feel's towards you. He's lost too much, and cared too much. He grew up in Pain, and never knew anything else, Sakura. Nothing. So… I know you might not think you mean much, but, right now, I'm pretty sure you're everything to him."

Sakura soaked up Konan's words, and gave the woman a once over.

"Konan," Sakura started, hesitantly, and met the woman's eyes. "Have you and Pain—"

"Don't _even_ go there," Konan interrupted, holding up a manicured hand, and raised an eyebrow. "I know where you're taking this, and the answer is no. I have never been intimate with Pain, nor have I ever felt anything more than kinship with him. We grew up, and survived, together through the civil war. We helped keep each other stay alive, and he has been the brother I never had. So please, believe me when I say we are the brother and sister of the group."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, and Konan gave a soft laugh.

"Were you worried about something?" Konan asked, curiosity dripping from her voice.

"I was terrified that I was stepping on something that would get me killed by a million paper cuts."

Konan laughed louder, joyfully, humored, and Itachi glanced over from where he was lifting Amaya up.

It was subtle, the blush that spread over Konan's cheeks, but Sakura noticed. Looking between the two, it was Sakura's turn to grin.

"Well then," Sakura said, and waggled her eyebrows at Konan. "I guess I should have been paying more attention to you. You have the hots for someone else entirely."

Konan coughed, her tea sliding down the wrong way, and her eyes widened. "I do not!"

But the smile spreading over her lips said otherwise, and Sakura giggled in return. "Oh, god. Purple haired, sharingan wielding children performing origami in the heat of battle. That's terrifying and cute at the same time."

Konan rolled her eyes. "Oh, well, pink and orange haired children with inhuman strength and god complexes sound so much better."

Both women laughed, and shook their heads. "Way too far," Sakura observed.

"Yes," Konan agreed, and closed her eyes as the sun shone down on them. It's so nice out today."

Sakura opened her mouth to agree, but the clouds in the distance begged to differ. "We better get moving. Looks like Pain will be wanting us back soon."

Sakura motioned to the clouds in the distance, and Konan looked on.

Sighing, Konan finished her tea and stood to throw the cup away. Itachi was already gathering Amaya away from the jungle gym, and heading towards them.

"Let's go get some things in town for you and Amaya, and then we'll head back," Konan said, and Itachi nodded in consent. Not that Konan needed it, but Itachi didn't have to tag along if he didn't want to.

"Shopping it is," Amaya exclaimed, leading the charge towards the downtown shops. Sakura rolled her eyes at her over exuberant daughter, and sighed.

Yes. This was becoming normal.

xxxXxxx

Back at the base, Sakura had gotten Amaya settled in with her new books and had gone to the gym to train. She had been slacking lately, and she needed a serious workout regimen to catch back up.

Not that she was out of shape—that would take a lot of chocolate cake and sweets. But, back home, Sakura would work out every day. She and Amaya would go to dance workout classes, which were surprisingly tough, and stay in shape. It was important to Sakura that Amaya stay in shape, or at least know how to get in shape. As a young girl, Sakura had been weak. She would ensure that her daughter would know how to take care of herself, just in case Sakura wasn't around to protect her.

Pain was doing a good job of teaching her daughter, so now it was up to Sakura to ensure that she stay up to par.

Pain worked with Amaya almost every day. Of course, there were days where he would be gone, but those were few and far between now. Amaya seemed happy; much happier than she had been in Konoha. Then again, she had never exhibited signs of her gift in Konoha, so this was all new to her. Sakura was afraid that this, living with the Akatsuki, was becoming normal for Amaya too. And when they went to leave, Amaya wouldn't be ready to leave. But, would Sakura?

Could Sakura?

The question threw Sakura off, so much so that the handstand she had been holding kinked slightly, and she went toppling over.

Shaking her head, Sakura rubbed her arm, which had hit the mat pretty hard, and thought.

 _Could_ she leave?

She could, if it meant a better life for her daughter. She _could_ leave.

But did she _want_ to?

 _That_ was a different question altogether. Not that it made a difference what she wanted. What was good for Amaya was the number one priority, just as it had always been.

One sacrificed for their children; their children didn't need to make sacrifices for their parents. Not one.

Pushing up into another handstand, Sakura braced, balanced, and then began her push-ups. Working with those for a little bit, she rested, then hopped up onto one of the bars on the far side of the room to work on pull ups. She did this, switching, going back, and pushing herself through different exercises until her body shook with exertion.

But it wasn't enough. Tension began to spread throughout her body, and Sakura needed to exert it. Exert the energy before it was expelled in a manner which she couldn't control. Like it always did.

Leaving. She would have to leave, eventually, but would they even want her back? It was a stupid question. Of course. But were they even looking for her?

She hadn't heard anything; hadn't come across any shinobi in town. Not in any of the towns they had all visited. She hadn't even heard a whisper of leaf shinobi searching for someone.

Maybe she was a lost cause. But Sakura knew better. She knew that she was missed, she had to be. And Amaya… Well, Amaya needed to return to have a normal life. To grow up with friends her age, and to be stationary for most of her childhood. Sakura was afraid that all this moving around was hurting her child, even though Amaya hid almost everything underneath her tough, ivory skin.

Sakura didn't want to leave. There was nothing more she wanted to do than to stay here, avoid her issues, and make a new life for herself. But she knew she should want to go home, to be with her friends, to continue her life. She knew she should feel those things, so she forced herself to feel them. But the more she did, the more the tension grew, and the more her throat closed in on itself.

Suddenly, as Sakura threw a fist at the punching bag particularly hard, and cracks of blood spread throughout her knuckles, she couldn't move.

Her throat had closed, her chest was tight, her eyes were watery, and her heart clenched. God, how she wanted to make the decisions in her life. She hadn't made the decision for Amaya to be kidnapped, she hadn't even made the decision to save her. She hadn't wanted to be picked up by the Akatsuki, and she hadn't wanted Amaya to inherit her father's Kekkei Genkai. Sakura never wanted to befriend ten, S-class criminals, and she most definitely didn't want to fall in love with their leader.

She hadn't wanted, or decided to go after, any of that. She hadn't dreamt of any of those situations happening any day of her life. But they did, and they were out of her control.

Just like her breathing, which was sawing in and out of her throat. Scratching, clawing, and sputtering its way in and out of her lungs. Sakura placed both hands on her chest, and tried to slow her breathing. But, just like everything else was out of her control, so was this.

She hadn't had a panic attack in months, yet this one had reared its ugly head with a passion. All those months of bottling everything up were coming back with a vengeance, and Sakura dropped to her knees, doubling over.

She had tried to work the tension off, she really did, but it hadn't worked. Nothing ever worked to keep the panic at bay. Nothing. Blackness began to overtake her vision, and Sakura laid her forehead against the mat.

Should she try and breathe? Yes.

But would she? The blackness was _so tempting_ …

" _Sakura."_

Suddenly, hands were on her back. Two, strong arms wrapped around her waist and torso, and she was being lifted from her curled up position. Eyes clenched shut, she tried to suck in a surprised breath, but she began hyperventilating. The small, miniscule breaths increased the black silence, but she gripped onto his shirt. Gripped, and wouldn't let go.

His familiar scent had washed over her immediately. Cinnamon spice, a subtle, but strong, musk, wet, freshly cut wood, and summer rain. His warm, calloused hand curled around the side of her neck, cupping her face, and he met, holding, her gaze.

"Sakura, breathe. It's alright. Breathe," Pain said, slowly, and took a long, deep breath into his own lungs.

Suddenly, everything began to wash away. The thoughts, the feelings, the heat flushing her skin, the tightness in her chest. Fading. His eyes, those ringed, emotionless orbs, captivated her. For all their emotionless nature, Sakura could feel the tension in his arms. See the tightness in his expression, the worry. The determination.

Trying to mimic him, Sakura failed miserably. But she didn't pass out, because, with every breath he took, she attempted to mimic him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks, which she hadn't known were falling, and held her gaze.

" _Breathe_ ," he whispered, supporting her with one arm, the other running through her long, soft locks. It took a few minutes, but Sakura eventually calmed enough to breathe without his guidance. But the tears came back, quickly and suddenly, and she pulled herself to him.

Konan's revelation of where their relationship was heading had given Sakura her own revelation. That she could pretend that Pain was hers, but he never would be. He never could be. Not as long as Amaya needed protecting, and that protection was back in Konoha. Away from the attacks, the danger, and the uncertainty.

Her tears slowed, and his grip tightened around her when she tried to pull away.

"What's wrong?"

The two simple words were so loaded, that Sakura almost began to cry all over again.

Her mouth opened, ready to speak the words that she didn't dare to. Didn't want to. Her lips finally closed, and she dove into Pain's chest. His arms engulfed her small form, and she focused on his warmth. She focused on being enveloped by his scent, his strength, and the security that she always felt when she was near him.

She could never feel anything but secure with him. She was so sure that he was the enemy on the outside, but on the inside… He was as hurt, betrayed, and angry as she was at the hands that life head dealt them both.

It was comforting.

It was…

Sakura couldn't place her feelings, exactly. She was so torn in this moment, because he felt like home. Tasted like safety. Security. But he should have been everything but those things.

Finally, Pain cradled her face between his palms and caught her eyes. Holding her gaze to his. He always had the ability to do that. Always.

"What's wrong, sunshine?"

The pet name rang in her ears, heated her core, and made her stomach do flips alongside the butterflies skittering about. His voice never failed to make her go weak, in one way or another.

Sakura, mesmerized by his gaze, simply shook her head, and closed her eyes. She couldn't—wouldn't—ruin this feeling by letting her better judgement sink in. Her better judgement—or what she thought was her better judgment—always seemed to lead her down paths that were safe, which was not the course she was taking right now.

She wanted anything but safe for herself. For Amaya on the other hand, though… She was safe. She hadn't been harmed in all of their time here, and everyone loved her. Sakura could allow herself to indulge.

Just this once.

"Nothing," she whispered, eyes remaining closed as Pain's thumb smoothed across her cheek bones. Soothing. "Nothing at all."

When she reopened her eyes, his were skeptical. But he didn't ask. He didn't push. He never did.

He couldn't know.

Lifting her hands and placing them over his, Sakura turned her head to each side and kissed each palm. Gently. Lovingly. His hands slid back, through the tresses of her long, pink hair, and came to grip at the back of her scalp. The pinch of pain from his grip did a lot of things, and none of it bad.

"Are you sure?"

His words came as a shock, because Pain never delved. He never pushed her. The three words evoked something inside of Sakura, something that compelled her to share everything with him. To forge something deeper than they already had.

To shut those feelings up, she crashed her lips into his and kissed him silly. He didn't protest, so she knew that he would leave it at that.

He couldn't do that. He couldn't delve deeper, because, if he did, then he would discover how broken she was. How silly she was. How lost she was. He wouldn't want her, not like he did in this moment. Even if it was mostly physical between them right now, Sakura had to dream. She had to hope that this would last.

Even if it wouldn't.

Sakura's legs came to straddle his, pushing her torso against his, pressing her breasts against his muscular chest. The thin material of her sports bra did nothing to hide how pebbled her nipples were, and the thin material of her spandex capris did nothing to hide the warmth radiating from her core.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer. Running his hands up her back, over her heated, flushed skin, he lightly ran his hand over the back of her bra. He paused, and Sakura smiled in amusement. Removing her arms from around his neck, her hands came to the zipper at the front of her chest.

"Front zipper, Pain," she whispered, hushed, aroused, amused. "Well, aren't you observant today."

Growling, Pain gripped her back and lifted, laying her down on the mat roughly. Gently.

"Hush," he growled, his voice deep and intoxicating, as was his scent. His scent surrounded Sakura with spice and cinnamon, mint and heat.

The movement jostled Sakura, and she gripped his shoulders in surprise. Her bra still intact, Pain immediately dipped his head and, his hand's busy with their own musings, gripped the zipper with his teeth. Pulling the zipper down slowly, her breasts were exposed slowly. As the zipper came loose, the mounds of flesh were revealed and his mouth went to work.

God, the man knew how to use his teeth—and tongue. The later he also knew how to use elsewhere, and very effectively at that.

A moan escaped her throat and lips, and she could have sworn that Pain grinned. _Grinned_. But it was most likely her imagination, and she pushed at his shoulders.

"Look, I know you like to play, but I'm suffering here," Sakura breathed, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't make me beg. Don't you _dare_."

Licking his lips, Pain's eyebrows lifted at the command, and she knew that she shouldn't have given him the idea.

"No," she growled, but he had frozen. He remained in place, his eyes locked on her face as she threw her head back and groaned. " _No_."

He moved to lean up, to leave, but she immediately reacted. Lifting up off the mat, she ground her core into his, and Pain fell right back atop her. His arms caught himself before he landed on her, but his head immediately buried itself into her neck.

"I thought you liked when I did that," Sakura whispered in his ear, arms wrapping around his neck. Holding him to her. His body quivered as she did it again, and he forcefully held his hips back from hers. From indulging in her.

Her teeth lightly grazed the outer shell of his ear, and Sakura was rewarded when Pain's head snapped up to stand directly in front of hers.

"Beg," Pain commanded, eyes hard and needy. His body was the same, planes of hard, ready muscle, and needy quivering. As Sakura ground herself into his core, she could also feel that something else was hard and needy, as well.

"Why?" Sakura asked as Pain's eyes roamed over her body.

His eyes, appraising her, didn't meet hers when she spoke. "You've never begged before. I'd like to hear it."

Huffing, Sakura rolled her eyes, but when one of his large, strong hands sank to her core, underneath the thin material of her pants, she immediately became gelatin in his palm. She would do anything to feel him against her again, to have him inside of her. Anything it took, but begging drew the—

A finger sank deep into her core, and she groaned as her hips lifted up off of the mat to meet his palm.

"God, fine. _Fine_. Please, stop teasing. _Please_. I need you. _Now_. And if you don't get inside of me _right now_ —"

Her pleading threat was cut off as his lips met hers in a needy kiss.

"Was that so hard?" he asked, lips against her ear as she kicked her thin, spandex pants aside.

"No, but I know something else that is," Sakura whispered right back at him, defiantly, and she was rewarded when the head of his member came to rest between her folds. Groaning, Sakura's hips bucked upward towards him.

Staying true to his word and ceasing his teasing, Pain allowed himself to inch inside of her, inch by torturous inch.

Pain was not small, he was not thin, and he was not short. Pain was thick, long, and everything that Sakura's adventurous, naughty thoughts had ever imagined. More. The first time she had taken him deep inside her core, he had been so big. He was still overly big now, but, as she adjusted to his size, it became easier to take him faster and harder.

And wasn't that a relief, because, as he sank deep inside of Sakura, it became very apparent that Sakura would never have a lover like Pain again in her lifetime. He was gentle, he was rough, he was careful, and he was wild. Everything that sent Sakura over the edge, because he knew exactly what buttons to push and where.

He was everything in that moment, and as his long, thick shaft began to move deep inside of her, Sakura knew she couldn't leave. Not yet. She would make the choice to stay, because this seemed…

Right, in every way that it shouldn't.

xxxXxxx

Amaya was sleeping on her bed when Sakura had left her.

Sakura looked around Amaya's room as she packed their things. As Sakura folded the small amount of clothes on the floor, and put them away, she couldn't help but think of how sweet it had been for Tobi, Kisame, Konan, and Deidara to decorate the room just for Amaya. It had been decorated when they arrived. The far wall had a large mural, with butterflies, trees framing the far walls, and the leaves hanging overhead. There were vines hanging from the trees, where butterflies sat. The field was full of flowers, and the waterfall in the distance was just as detailed as the rest of the picture. The mural looked as if she could step right into it.

Origami birds and butterflies hung from the ceiling all over the room, in different colors and variations. Across from the door stood an elaborate fish tank that Kisame had put together, and had filled with beautiful, live, coral with fish to match. Tobi had shopped until he dropped for art supplies, decorations, and stuffed animals, and the reenactment of the events by Tobi had been comical.

The room was beautiful, and the best part?

Everything was alive.

All anyone had to do was infuse chakra into the room, and the mural, the origami, it all came to life. Moving, making sound, and reacting to Amaya's moods.

It was amazing.

It was beautiful.

Sakura's own room was plain, mainly due to the fact that she spent most of her time in Pain's room. Which was beautiful in itself. Emerald green walls, a large, four poster bed, draped with deep red fabric, with sheets to match. The room was full of books, with a fireplace across the room from the bed akin to all of the fireplaces she had seen where he worked. Grand and extravagant.

Yes, Sakura adored Pain's room much more than her own. It was a fact, and Pain knew it. And he didn't protest one bit, the manipulative bas—

Amaya's door cracked open ever so slightly, and Hanta poked her head in. Her tongue lolled out of the side of her muzzle, and her white, silky eyes penetrated Sakura as if she could see.

"Hanta," Sakura whispered, surprised, shocked, and caressing all in the same tone.

She had neglected her wolves, it was true. But they didn't seem to mind, only because they were free to run and be free in the forests and mountains around the base. As they had at any of the bases. They would be miffed if Sakura didn't come to see them every few days, but, other than that, the wolves were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

As was Sakura.

Hanta pushed the rest of the way into the room, and trotted over to Sakura. Her muzzle was met with Sakura's gentle hand, smoothing over the scarred skin of Hanta's face and neck. The wolves had been through a lot, and were scarred every inch of their body. Whether it was physical, emotional, or mental, Sakura had had to figure that out on her own as they grew up in her care.

A lot was mental, but a majority of the scars could be felt through their thick, silky fur. Battle scars. Victories.

"What are you doing in here, silly girl?" Sakura asked, smiling, and hugging her arms around the large wolf's neck.

Suddenly, a large form stood in the light of the hallway and Sakura couldn't help but look up. Pain stood there, piercings and all, and his eyes took in the room. He had been here many times, though he would never admit it, not even to Sakura, because he felt the constant need to check on Amaya. Make sure she was okay, and where she was supposed to be.

Sakura turned her soft smile on Pain, and shook her head. Looking back at Hanta, she whispered, "He's such a sucker," and allowed the wolf to jump up with Amaya on the bed. Walking over, and throwing a small blanket over Hanta, Sakura kissed Amaya's forehead, placed the clothes in the dresser, and joined Pain in the hallway.

"You are such a sucker," Sakura repeated to Pain, and lightly placed her hand on his chest.

Pain ignored her, and, with one last glance at Amaya and the wolf that now slept at her feet, he was content to leave the girl alone.

"The other wolves are in the compound, as well," Pain informed her, and Sakura nodded.

'Sucker,' she thought, rolling her eyes internally, knowing full well that Pain hadn't wanted the wolves to be outside when the storm rolled in. Pain could control and stop the rain, yes, but he wouldn't do it every time a storm rolled in. That would kill the environment, and, as evil as Pain could be, he wouldn't intentionally kill the forest in which he lived.

"What's up?" Sakura asked, turning to head towards the kitchen. "I don't normally see you around here this time of night. Too early."

Sakura was stopped when Pain, gently, grabbed her wrist. "Come with me," he said, and began heading in the opposite direction.

Most of the other members were on missions, and, therefore, the compound was quiet. Save for Konan, they were alone in the large building. Which was also probably why Pain let the wolves in, because no one was around to protest.

Leading them to his room, Sakura followed Pain inside and stopped when he released her hand.

"Pain, what…?" Sakura asked, trailing off as she looked at the coffee table in front of the fireplace.

A few presents sat there, only a few, atop the books that were normally placed there. Opening her mouth in confusion, and then closing it when she had nothing to say, she gave Pain a wild look.

"What is this for?"

Pain leaned against the back of the couch, his ankles crossed, while he shed his coat and threw it over the cushions. He ran his hands, comfortably, though his hair, and his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile. He didn't, though, and Sakura's heart jumped at the idea of seeing such a beautiful sight.

"No one would be here for your birthday, so a few of them left their presents with me. I ensured them that you would get them," Pain said, crossing his arms, and motioning, with a thrust of his chin, to sit on the couch.

Jaw dropping, Sakura blinked, and stuttered, "How—I didn't—they didn't—"

Pain held up his hand for her to stop, and waved her over. "Amaya told us. Now, come on. I know they might be early, but, for a change, I am following the directions of my members. Please, open them so that when we speak to them tomorrow, you can tell them how much you loved or hated their gifts."

Sakura closed her gaping mouth, and walked over to the couch. Sitting, with Pain overlooking her, she picked up the first on, a small, tiny box that fit in the palm of her hand that was wrapped in black paper with red ribbon.

"Open that one last," Pain said, suddenly, before she had ripped the paper.

Blinking, Sakura looked up at him, and placed the box back on the table. Picking up another, larger box, Sakura admired the blue, shining paper with a white, ruffle bow.

"Kisame," Pain informed, and motioned for her to open it.

Tearing the paper carefully, she held the box, long and made of hard wood, in her hands. Unlatching the box, Sakura gasped when her eyes were met with a deep blue and white pendant on a silver chain, with swirling earrings to match.

"Oh, my God," Sakura whispered, holding the necklace in her palm, and smiling. "Where did he get this? I've never seen anything like it!"

"He made it, out of sea glass. He may look like a brute, but he has some quirky hobbies that could impress any woman," Pain said, motioning to the other presents.

In the next, larger box, clothing box, lay a beautiful, white sun dress, which went with the next box she opened, that held a pair of black, strappy sandals, and large, stylish sunglasses.

"Konan," Sakura murmured, and Pain nodded. "She knows me so well."

"She wants to take you to the beach to have a girl's day," Pain said, eyes shining with something she couldn't identify. "Her words, not mine."

Sakura laughed, and set the boxes aside. The next held a beautiful, deep brown, leather journal that had a large, sprawling tree embossed on the front. The journal was hand bound, with traditional, rough paper.

"Itachi made that for you. He, too, has his quirks. He and Kisame get along well."

Sakura was amazed as she flipped through the pages and overlooked the cover, the spine, and the back cover. So delicately intricate, and detailed. Sakura sat the journal, gently, back in the box, and set it back on the table.

Next was a clay bird, delicately carved into, unlike his other works of art. The bird looked life like, and Sakura held it delicately in her hands.

"Deidara wanted me to tell you that if you are ever in trouble, to infuse a small amount of chakra into the clay, and he will instantly know where you are. So he can find you, and assist you."

"Dei," Sakura murmured affectionately, and Sakura, like the other items, gently placed it on the table in its box.

"One more," Pain murmured, and came around the couch as Sakura reached for it. His present.

Sakura hesitated, and looked at Pain. He sat next to her on the couch, and was so much bigger than she was. What could he possibly have given her that could mean more than what he already gave her every day?

Sakura took in a deep breath, and let it out carefully as she slowly unwrapped her present. The wrapping was so perfect, Sakura wondered if Pain had wrapped it, or if Konan had.

The small, velvet box in her hand made Sakura nervous. Not that she had any reason to be. There was no way it would be a—

When she flipped open the box, the ring that sat there was a work of art. The silver band was delicately carved leaves upon the vine, and nestled at the top was the most beautiful cut aquamarine stone Sakura had ever seen. The stone looked like it had been placed on the ring without any alterations, in its natural state. The ring wasn't big, it wasn't gaudy, and it was perfect.

Sakura looked up at Pain, who stared at her intently, and when she smiled, Sakura was so sure Pain would smile back.

"Do you like it?" Pain whispered, jaw tight.

Pulling the ring from its velvet case, Sakura held the ring up to the light of the fire and watched the stone glint and glimmer in the light. The silver shone, too, and added to the magical effect the ring had.

"I love it," Sakura breathed, and Pain's hands were suddenly there. Taking the ring, and sliding it onto her right middle finger, Pain's strong, much bigger fingers lingered, and enveloped her small hands in his.

"This is only for you, Sakura, and no one else. It has my chakra infused with it, and once you infuse a small amount of yours then I will always be there. I can connect with you. This will link me to you, and allow me to help you when you are in trouble. To be there when you are no longer here by my side. To protect you. You won't always be here, by my side, Sakura. I know this. I promised to keep you safe, and a promise that I make lasts a lifetime. I will protect you when you need it, and I will be there when you need me. I swear to it."

Pain's words had her heart stuttering, stopping, and dropping. It was heart breaking to hear the emotion in his voice, even if he tried to hide it.

But this ring… Sakura tangled her fingers with his, and gripped tightly.

"What if…" Sakura whispered, and glanced away. "What if I don't want to leave your side?"

Pain swallowed, his eyes closed, and his hands ever so still.

He met her gaze, suddenly, with a loving intensity that shook Sakura to the core.

"Then don't. Stay here. With me. By my side. Forever."

xxxXxxx

They came out of nowhere. The base was supposed to be impenetrable, but they came. They always did. They always found what they were looking for.

The yellow spiky hair was all Sakura could see through the storm, as she was transferred from his arms to a man with a ponytail that was spiked.

She wished that she could have spoken, could have tried to fight off the intruders.

But they weren't intruders. They were her family, come to get her back. Finally. She sensed Amaya nearby, with her wolves in hot pursuit. It was strange, being in familiar arms and now seeing them as strangers. As the enemy.

Sakura could hear the sounds of a battle raging in the distance, and the storm overhead increased in its ferocity. Thunder cracked, and lightening shattered the sky with its bright violence.

Sakura was being taken away from the place she had called home for months. The place that Amaya had grown to love. And, contrary to what she would have thought all those months ago, she was sad to see it go. She could feel something breaking inside of her, and she knew that nothing would be the same.

Through the sounds of clashing elements, Sakura could have sworn she had heard his voice. She could have sworn that he had called to her, and she longed to answer him back.

But the darkness took her.

Away from what she had come to know.

Away from her beloved Pain.

" _Sakura!"_

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed! Please _**REVIEW**_! Tell me how you liked it, what you didn't like, and idea's for the future! Thanks everyone! Love you all!

 **If you review, you get a (virtual) hug from your favorite Akatsuki member! Promise!**

~Adoration


	11. I Found

_"I'll use you as a warning sign,_  
 _That if you talk enough sense then you'll lose your mind,_  
 _I'll use you as a focal point,_  
 _So I don't lose sight of what I want,_  
 _I've moved further than I thought I could,_  
 _But I miss you more than I thought I would,_  
 _I'll use you as a warning sign,_  
 _That if you talk enough sense then you'll lose your mind._

 _I found love where it wasn't supposed to be,_  
 _Right in front of me."_

 _-I Found, Amber Run_

* * *

Chapter Eleven

 _One Month Later…_

For what seemed like the millionth time today, Sakura arranged and rearranged her closet. It was all she could do to keep busy. Color coordinate, long sleeve to short sleeve, pants to skirts…

She had been given leave from work, but a month was too long. A month was killing her psyche, because she was here. She was here, in this god forsaken apartment, and not doing anything. Nothing at all. Keeping her hands busy kept her mind from wandering, and keeping her hands busy was all she could do to keep herself from losing control.

It hadn't been easy to sleep, and, in fact, she barely slept at all. She stayed awake, thinking of where they could be.

And just like that, she was tearing her closet apart again. She couldn't let the thoughts consume her, but they did whether she liked it or not. The moment they entered her psyche, she was up and moving. Because she was here, doing nothing, while she could have been doing something. But no, Tsunade thought she was weak when she was anything but.

Pain knew she was anything but weak.

The clothes dropped from her grasp, and, suddenly, the room was spinning. The air was crisp against her heated skin; her skin was a fiery furnace, trying to contain the emotions swirling beneath the surface. Frozen to the carpet in the middle of her bedroom, Sakura lifted her shaking hands.

Sakura didn't want to live in her skin anymore.

" _Then don't."_

She could hardly breathe, her chest slowing, and finally stuttering to a stop.

" _Stay here."_

She wanted to be with him. Only him.

" _With me."_

Her heart stuttered, unable to keep beating at the correct pace when her breathing was so ragged. So erratic. So lost.

" _By my side."_

Dropping to her knees, Sakura's eyes shut tightly. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

" _Forever."_

Yet, never again. Pain was gone, and her heart was broken.

The pain that overtook Sakura was like no other, but it had become a normal occurrence. Each day, something would trigger the memories. The sweet, addictive memories that she tried to keep locked away. She craved the memories that caressed her skin, and made her feel like he was here with her. Caressing her, loving her, and comforting her.

It was pure bliss.

It was torture.

But the tears never fell. She never cried. Not one tear had fallen since her return—only an empty feeling remained where the tears should have fallen. Empty, hollow, and full of despair.

The tree outside of her window scraped against the glass, emitting a shrill, scratching sound, which caught Sakura's attention. She didn't know how long she had laid there on the floor, but Amaya would be home soon. Her daughter couldn't see her mother like she was, and Sakura knew the importance of the fact.

Amaya had been quiet and reserved. Much too quiet and reserved since their return, and she wasn't the same child. Everyone around them simply assumed that it was the ordeal, just as they had with Sakura. Shoving pills at them, everyone saying, "It will be alright. It's all better now."

But it wasn't, and it wouldn't be.

The more Sakura tried to get back to the normalcy of her life, the more she realized that this wasn't what she considered normal anymore.

Getting up early, cooking breakfast for the Akatsuki who left for missions. Falling asleep on the couch until Amaya joined her, turning cartoons on every morning like clockwork. Konan gifting her with small items at every turn, and how the items still ended up in her room when she returned them. Rolling over in bed and seeing _him_ lying there, sound asleep and peaceful. Feeling him surround her, envelope her inside and out.

Those things were normal and had become second nature. Sakura was now living in the dream—a dream she had held onto for so long that when she was finally here… It wasn't a dream at all.

It was a nightmare.

Grabbing at the foot of her bed, Sakura pulled herself up and forced herself to stand on shaky legs. Eventually, she made it to the bathroom. Stripped herself. Stood in the shower. Curled up under the steady stream of piercing hot water until the stream became cold, and even then Sakura didn't notice until she was freezing.

She was a mess, her life was a mess, but she would never admit it out loud.

She had thought of leaving just that afternoon. So, why was she so shell shocked to return?

Because she hadn't been ready. She hadn't returned of her own free will.

Eventually, she stood and stepped out from underneath the freezing water. It was hard to give in to reality, but Amaya would be home soon. She had to pull herself together, because if Amaya fell apart then there was no reason to stay.

And Amaya was the reason Sakura stayed. Amaya needed to be in school, she needed to socialize with children her own age, and she needed structure. Structure, normalcy, and order.

Sakura pulled a brush through her tangled, mangled hair, and her eye caught on the glinting pieces of jewelry she had busied herself with getting. The one in her nose had been her first, and had triggered a frenzy for the past month. She could now see why Pain loved his piercings. Not only did his serve as chakra centers, but they were also attractive. Sakura had gotten her nose pierced, then two bars through her ears: one through the top of her right, and then left, ear. Next, came the belly button, and, recently, her nipples.

Sakura knew why she got the piercings, which were out of character for her at any stage in her life. When she looked at herself, naked and bare, she could feel a piece of him as a part of her. His piercings were such a vital part of his image that Sakura felt that her own piercings were an homage to the influence he had on her life.

Pulling her long tresses up into a messy bun, Sakura applied a small amount of makeup to hide the red that blotted her skin, and strode over to her dresser. Over the clothes covering the floor, because indulging in her closet would only set her off again.

Atop her dresser sat a wood box, a leather journal, a pair of sunglasses, an intricately carved bird, and a small box. The things were placed in various spots, but they were there. Sakura had set the items in a pack with a few of Amaya's things when she had been checking on her daughter, and when Shikamaru had come he had grabbed the items in haste.

Sakura was very thankful.

Sakura reached for the box that held her only connection to Pain, but she faltered as always. Not only had the ring not graced her finger since her return, but she hadn't even touched the piece of jewelry.

Sakura knew she couldn't. She knew how important it was to try and fix herself, for her daughter, for Amaya's sake, and placing that ring on her finger would mean betrayal to her village.

But, hadn't she already betrayed them beyond forgiveness?

Sakura couldn't put the ring on her finger, because she couldn't bear with the thought of only hearing his voice. She would need to see him, touch him, feel him, and taste him to satiate herself.

No, the ring was not a good idea. But the mere sight of it gave her comfort. The events had happened, and they weren't in her imagination. The memories weren't just dreams.

Below, Sakura could hear the door open. Quickly donning her clothing, Sakura took the stairs one at a time. Slowly. Gathering herself. She needed the extra seconds, because Amaya could sense her mother's feelings. It took extra effort to hide anything from her daughter, but it was worth Amaya growing up in a safe environment.

xxxXxxx

Ino had stayed for a couple hours, checking on Sakura no doubt. The other rookies were worried about her, too, but Ino was the only one who invaded Sakura's space. Ino knew she could, and Sakura allowed her.

As much fun as it was to have Ino around for the distraction, though, Sakura was thankful for the silence when she left. Sakura had taken up residence in one of the backyard, reclining, law chairs, with a cup of tea in her hand, and a medical book in the other hand. The sky was bright with stars, even if her backyard flood lights did drown out the view a bit.

The glass door opened as soon as Sakura flipped the page, and she turned her head to see Amaya coming out in shorts and a tank top.

"Hey, baby," Sakura greeted, and placed her book on the matching side table. "What's up?"

Amaya rounded Sakura's chair and curled up in the chair beside Sakura's. Hugging her legs to her chest, Amaya let her chin rest on her knees.

"I miss them."

Sakura blinked, and held her breath. It was the first time Amaya had spoken of the Akatsuki since they had returned, and she knew not to speak to others about their time there. She knew the danger, even as young as she was.

"I know," Sakura whispered, finally, and sipped gingerly at her tea. "Me too."

"Then why are we here, Momma?" Amaya asked after a silent moment, and stared up at the stars.

Sakura mulled over her thoughts for a moment, and sighed. "It's not that easy."

"It is," Amaya insisted, abruptly, and turned her sights on her mother. "All we have to do is leave."

Sakura shook her head, and closed her eyes. She couldn't look at the determination, the hope, in Amaya's eyes. "We can't, baby. You know that. You love your family here, don't you?"

Amaya's jaw tightened, and she nodded curtly. "I love my other family, too."

Sakura's heart stuttered at Amaya's words _. I love my other family, too._ The words cut deep.

"You need to be here. You have school, friends, and family here. You're safe here. So is Mommy," Sakura said, and sat her tea down. "Baby, I know you want to go back. But it's not all fun and games. It was dangerous being away from home for so long. Dangerous for you. There are people out there that would hurt you. Here, Grandma Tsunade can keep you safe. I can keep you safe. I promise you that."

Amaya was silent, and when Sakura glanced over to her daughter Amaya was star-gazing once more. Silent, the hope had been dashed from her expression.

' _Damnit_ ,' Sakura thought. She needed to hold it together. At least until Amaya went to bed. She needed to hold it together for as long as she could, because she needed to convince not only Amaya of the good of staying in Konoha, she needed to convince herself as well.

xxxXxxx

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait with you?" Sakura asked, handing Amaya her backpack.

Rolling her eyes, Amaya nodded. "Mom. I'm almost eight. I can handle myself for a little while. I'll go read up on the new material Master Iruka gave us yesterday. Go to work."

Pausing, Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You aren't supposed to eye roll until you're a teen. When did you start eye rolling? You know what—you're right. I'm almost-eight-year-old is right." Throwing her hands up, Sakura took a few steps back. "Go, have fun. Don't cause trouble. Learn something new."

Amaya smiled, hugged Sakura, and ran up the steps of the school. Before she went inside, she turned and gave Sakura a toothy grin. "Love you!"

"To the moon and back," Sakura replied, returning the smile. Once Amaya was safety inside, Sakura turned on her heals and began her leisurely walk to the hospital.

Whether Tsunade liked it or not, Sakura was going back to work. She needed to go back to work to keep herself sane. Having rearranged her closet many times, cleaned all of the clean dishes just as many times, and taken to many walks to appreciate her route anymore, Sakura was about ready to lay in the middle of the road and allow herself to be run over by a cart. Anything to get inside the hospital. Besides, she couldn't have Tsunade paying for her bills anymore.

It was time for people to stop coddling her—Pain never coddled her, and she had fit in just fine with that. Now, she stuck out like a sore thumb. A thumb that was perfectly fine, but it was attached to an overly sensitive owner who felt the need to coddle the thumb with Percocet and Vicodin when ibuprofen would have been _sufficient_.

Arriving at the hospital faster than she expected, Sakura stopped in at the coffee shop just across the street for a little pep snack. Not that she needed to be anywhere else but in the hospital. She was itching to get inside and get her hands on the patients, touch medicine, hookup central lines, draw blood, anything to be of use. But, after a long night filled with tossing and turning, a little coffee and a blueberry muffin was a much needed pick-me-up.

As the doors slid open to the E.R., Sakura's nerves settled and she was able to center her thoughts for the first time in thirty days.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes were drawn to the voice, and Mika, Sakura's right hand woman on the nursing staff, was staring, wide-eyed and mouth gaping, as Sakura smiled.

"In the flesh," Sakura replied, downing the rest of her coffee quickly and tossing the cup in the trash. "What have you got for me?"

Mika's mouth snapped shut, but her eyes remained wide. "I—we—" She handed over the charts in her hands, a smile beginning to grace her lips. "We weren't expecting you back until Tsunade announced your return."

Sakura rolled her eyes, probably looking much like her daughter earlier that morning, and flipped through the charts. "Announce my return? Please. I'm not dead, therefore I can work."

"So, Tsunade is letting you back so soon?"

Stopping all movement, Sakura snapped her head up to stare at Mika. "It's been a month—much longer than necessary, don't you think?"

"Well, I mean, I don't know. You were kidnapped, and held prisoner. I would be terrified to—"

Sakura's playful tone and look suddenly turned sour. "Mika, stop."

Freezing, the woman's smile faded and she looked away. "I'm sorry. I—"

"You have no idea what happened. Don't assume I'm not competent because I was gone for a few months," Sakura snapped, stealing a few long term cases from the stack and turning on her heels. "I'll be in my office."

And with that, everyone knew Sakura was back and she wasn't the same. Her sudden outburst had caused a hush to fall over the E.R., despite the sound of heart monitors and nurses still tending to their patients.

Sakura the body and medic was back, but her personality had changed. And she hadn't realized until that very moment when the woman who she used to share laughs and drinks with was suddenly a woman who understood nothing about Sakura or what was going on inside of her head.

Sakura's office hadn't changed since she left. The dust had been kept from settling, and her office remained untouched. The deep, emerald green walls were a comfort. The files had been removed from their usual piles on her desk, but that was to be expected. Someone needed to treat her patients while she was gone. Books and scrolls lined the left side of the room, filling the bookcases until she thought they might burst, and binders full of medical research lined the bookshelves to the right of her, which were also full and overflowing. Sakura's work was her life. That is, until she was kidnapped and thrown into fairy tale land.

She had resorted to calling her time with the Akatsuki that, because that's what it was. Their kindness, their mundane nature, could only be described as a fairy tale, because she couldn't picture Itachi as the scary, clan-murdering Uchiha brother anymore. Nor could she envision Kisame stalking her while she swam, ready to strike, drown, and kill her. Even Zetsu was less harmful now, because his good side truly did have a kind and caring streak—well, when he didn't want to devour her flesh. Oh well.

So, a fairy tale. That's what it had been, because they were s-class criminals who needed to remain scary for her to not miss them. Because she did, in fact, miss them.

Her chair was as comfy as ever when she sat, kicking off her heels and pulling on the sneakers that were still underneath her desk. Also changing out of her pedestrian clothes and into a pair of scrubs, which felt much more comfortable than the pencil skirt she had walked in with, Sakura went to work. Reading, marking up, and ordering medication and treatment for the patients in the files before her. Normal hospital work. Just how she wanted it to be.

Normal was somewhat of a complicated term now. What was normal for Sakura? For the past few months, normal had become living day in and day out with the Akatsuki. Melding to their schedule, working on things that needed to be done on their time. And it had become Sakura's time. Now, what had been normal for twenty-four years had become strange? Strange and very un-normal indeed.

Flipping through charts, and even more charts when Mika brought her more, Sakura decided that she would seclude herself for most of the day updating charts. Having to deal with Mika's questioning stare was enough. She couldn't deal with the entire hospital staff questioning her return. And why would they? The hospital was nosy, Sakura knew that. But still. Her business was none of theirs, and they should know that.

After updating the charts, Sakura leaned back. The charts had kept her busy for a couple of hours, so that was a plus. But now the charts had run out, and Sakura needed to find something to occupy her time. Standing, she slowly circled her office, running her fingers over the multitude of books, files, and binders. Slowing, Sakura stood before her research and took in the many binders that lined the bookshelves. There were a lot, because Sakura had taken her job seriously back then. She still took the matter of saving lives seriously. But now, it all seemed so insignificant when she couldn't be applying it.

There was nothing to apply her medical research to here in Konoha. Sure, people got hurt in battle. Shinobi's were impaired, but not so much that simple procedures wouldn't fix it. Sakura had been studying up on replacing limbs with prosthesis's that would take the users chakra flow just as the natural limb had, allowing the user to function as normal. Opening one of the binders, Sakura ran a hand over the drawings she had made in the margins. The limbs were smooth, not bulky, and much more functional than the limbs that were offered now. The limbs offered now barely functioned, because the technology hadn't advanced as far as her ideas had.

To make these dreams jump off of the paper, Sakura knew that she would need to get back into the heat of battle. This she knew, yet she couldn't make it a reality. Until she left, she hadn't had the courage to leave on a mission. Until Amaya was taken, she hadn't had any courage left. Then, Amaya gave her courage. Pain gave her strength. Pain gave her hope. And now, stroking the spines of the many binders that stared glaringly at her, Sakura knew that she could help his members in some way.

Konoha may not be suffering, but the enemies were. And this was the first time in Sakura's life that she felt pity for the other side. She had seen the other side, and there was no difference between them besides different ideals. And possibly a higher body count.

In that moment, Sakura knew that her dream could be a reality. Her techniques could be of use, instead of locked up on a hospital shelf for only one sides advantage.

Grabbing a pen and her prescription pad, Sakura shoved the items into her pocket and closed the door to her office. The hallway wasn't buzzing in this part of the hospital, which was good for Sakura. Mika's questioning gaze was enough—she didn't need, or want, her entire staff giving her that look today.

On her way to see Tsunade, Sakura was interrupted, thankfully, when Karin ran down the hallway.

"Sakura!" she shouted, and, when Sakura's eyes finally settled on her, Karin's scrubs were splattered with blood.

Eyes widening, Sakura immediately turned. "What happened?"

"They need you in the E.R. We're having trouble containing this guy," Karin informed her, followed Sakura's gaze, and sighed. "Not my blood. His."

Sakura nodded, relieved, and motioned back towards her office. "I have some extra scrubs in my office. If you need them, you can go ahead and change in there."

Karin looked relieved, and motioned to the E.R. "They sent me to find you before I did anything else. Go, before he actually hurts someone."

Sakura was already on her way towards the wing of the hospital. She didn't need to be told where to go when people needed help. She knew. Even if they didn't need her help specifically, after seeing Karin like she was, Sakura still would go to watch and assist.

Pulling a scrub gown from the box on the shelf, Sakura threw it over her own, clean scrubs and exposed skin. Not that Sakura hadn't been sprayed with her fair share of bodily fluids, but it was nice to walk away from a patient clean.

Sakura ran over to the exam room, flinching when something inside the room hit the glass hard upon impact.

' _Good Lord_ ,' Sakura thought, groaning internally, having forgotten how difficult some patients could be under the influence. Of what didn't matter. They all were difficult when impaired.

Entering the trauma room, the smell of pungent iron filled the air. Blood. "What's going on?"

"Daiki Ikeda, twenty-seven, suffering from multiple stab wounds," Mika immediately iterated, holding one of Daiki's arms down to the table, which was a feat for her small body to accomplish.

"Alright, Mr. Ikeda? Daiki? We're going to need you to calm down so we can help you, okay? Fuyu, can you grab a sedative? We need to calm him down. See what the damage is."

Sakura informed Fuyu of the correct dosage, and the patient on the table froze for a fraction of a second before thrashing wildly.

"No drugs!" he cried, pulling free of the nurses restraining him. "No more!"

Sakura leapt to help contain him, but his foot collided with her lower abdomen. He kicked, and she went flying back against the wall. Normally, it wouldn't have fazed her, but a sharp, shooting pain suddenly radiated from where his foot had connected. Sakura clutched the wall with one hand, and the other fell to her stomach.

"Sakura!" Mika cried, worry threading her tone.

Blinking, Sakura had to focus her vision that had blurred for a moment, slightly, and she tried to focus on the whirr of commotion around her. When she focused on the scene, finally, Mika was rushing towards her. Sakura had slid down the wall, her knees up to her chest, her stomach protected unconsciously.

"Ow," Sakura murmured, dazed, when Mika tried to lift her scrub shirt. Mika froze, suddenly, and her eyes went wide.

"Rin, go get a wheelchair. Sakura needs to go see Dr. Rinata. Hurry!" Mika shouted, and tried to keep Sakura from standing.

"Sakura, how do you feel? Did you hit your head?"

Sakura shook her head, and looked confusedly at Mika. "I'm fine, let me stand. Just a little dazed, I—"

Mika shook her head, and glanced back to the door. "Sakura, sit. You're bleeding."

Blinking, Sakura followed Mika's stare to the floor beneath Sakura. Blood had seeped through the crotch of her scrub pants and was pooling on the floor.

"I don't need a wheel chair, Mika," Sakura informed her, head clearing save for the pain radiating from her lower abdomen. Using Mika to help her stand, Sakura came to her feet and then doubled over just as quickly. Pain shot through her, suddenly and rapidly, and Sakura clung to Mika. "Never mind."

As much as Sakura knew she needed the wheelchair, being wheeled through the halls of the hospital towards the OBGYN ward was the last thing she wanted today. No obscurity in that endeavor. By the time she was situated in stirrups on one of the tables, cleaned up and waiting, Sakura knew that the whole hospital would be buzzing with gossip. It wasn't much gossip, or life-changing, probably, but still. Sakura didn't want any buzz at all. None.

Sakura was about to stand and pull on a pair of clean scrubs, thinking it was simply a gushing period, when Iona Rinata poked her head through the door. Her mane of curling, blood red hair was magnificent, as was the ivory skin that covered her body. In truth, Iona was beautiful, and had become Sakura's best friend inside and out of work. Besides Ino, that is. Well, even more than Ino, after Sakura thought about their relationship a bit more.

"Long time no see," Iona said, smile gracing her dark lips, and the smile reached her eyes which were accented with winged eyeliner and mascara. Her eyelashes were already thick naturally, so Sakura assumed that she probably wasn't even wearing mascara. "Excuse you, sit back, please."

Sakura laughed, and rolled her eyes. "Iona, I'm fine," Sakura argued, but did as she was told. Iona could be commanding even when she didn't mean it. "And you're funny. Very funny."

Iona, to Sakura, was probably the only soul in Konoha she could spill her guts to. Iona would keep her lips shut, ears attentive, and heart open, ready to do anything to help a friend. Sakura would do the same for Iona, and had done the same when they had first met.

Iona had been her doctor while Amaya was still a bun in the oven, and she and Sakura had connected on a deeper level than either had expected. Both of their husbands—technically, fiancé for Sakura—had been killed in the line of duty, but Iona had lost so much more. Her first and only child had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) a month later, and Iona had been crushed. Tsunade had been the one to pull her from her mourning and get her life back on track. It was Sakura that kept her there, and Iona had kept Sakura sane.

They were kindred spirits, and Sakura loved the woman more than she probably should.

"I try, darling," Iona said, sitting in the wheeling chair at Sakura's feet, and placing Sakura's feet back in the stirrups. "I heard what happened. To calm your thoughts, he's been sedated and taken care of. So don't go rushing out of here back to trauma."

Sakura sighed. "If you've heard, then the whole hospital has heard. Great."

"Oh, it's no big deal," Iona said, waving a hand dismissively. "Who cares? IF you weren't the talk of the hospital, then I would make sure you were. People are going to notice you, Sakura, because you spent four months held captive by the Akatsuki and came back alive."

And, even as Sakura's heart clenched, she loved Iona a little bit more in that moment. The woman was relentless when she wanted information, and she did everything to ensure the people around her were miserable until she knew it. Sakura's capture and rescue hadn't been kept quiet, surprisingly, and everyone knew her troubles. Except, the stories weren't true, and it broke Sakura's heart to lie to everyone. Even though she knew she needed to lie, for everyone's sake, Sakura still wanted to tell someone that she was okay. She was fine, because she had chosen to stay.

But she wouldn't, couldn't, and that hurt Sakura even more.

"Oh, yes. Highlight of my life," Sakura replied, infusing a little bit of sarcasm into her voice, and rolled her eyes. "How is it that everyone is so nosy around here?"

"They're here for most of their day, so they need something to keep them entertained. Like the patients aren't enough, right?" Iona asked, beginning her exam.

"True. Very true."

Sakura suddenly flinched, coming off the table slightly when Iona's fingers prodded in a tender spot.

"Tender?" Iona asked, eyebrows knitted together in a speculative look, and Sakura nodded. "Okay, relax."

Sakura complied, and leaned back on the exam table.

"So, tell me, how is my lovely god-child doing?" Iona asked, a smile on her lips.

Sakura groaned. "She's not your god child."

"Yet," Iona added, and pressed lightly on Sakura's stomach. Sakura couldn't identify her tone.

"Yeah, well, we'll see. She needs guidance, not a godmother who is going to spoil her at every turn."

Iona snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Honey, your child is spoiled by everyone. Everyone loves that child, and there's no argument about it."

Suddenly pulling away from Sakura, Iona stood and pulled over the ultrasound machine.

"Oh, God, I'm broken," Sakura whined, eyes widening, and Iona laughed.

"No, no. You're not broken. I just need to double check some things. Can't see everything with my fingers, you know."

"I'm pretty sure I just started my period at the wrong time, Iona," Sakura said, sitting up before Iona could get any closer with the internal ultrasound wand. "I'm fine. And since when do you need to double check anything?"

Holding up a hand, Iona dismissed her friend. "I'm the expert, here. Let me do my job."

Sighing, Sakura complied. It was hard to argue with Iona, especially when Sakura knew that the pain she was feeling, the pressure, wasn't a normal sign of her period. Sakura hated people doting over her, especially friends.

Laying there, Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but, seeing the look on Iona's face, her voice caught in her throat. Iona's expression changed multiple times as Sakura watched her—surprise, fear, curiosity.

"Oh, I am broken," Sakura whispered, eyes widening slightly.

Moving the ultrasound around a fraction, Iona turned the screen so Sakura could see.

"When were you going to tell me about this juicy tid-bit of information?" Iona asked, eyebrows raised, curiosity pouring out of every pore in her body.

Sakura couldn't focus on the image before her, before her heart stopped. The 3D ultrasound was meant to be clear when looking at the picture, but if you didn't know what to look for it took a second. Sakura wanted to scream, to cry, and to celebrate all at once.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes were glued to the screen, though, so she didn't look to Iona. "I didn't know," she whispered, heart clenching, unclenching, clenching.

Iona raised her eyebrow, and looked skeptical. "You didn't know you were four months pregnant?"

"Four?" Sakura squeaked, her mind running a mile a minute. "How can I be…?"

It hit her, and Sakura's head fell back, her eyes still glued to the screen. Sakura remembered the night clearly—the first night she and Pain had become intimate. It would be forever burned into her mind and memory, along with all of the other nights. Four months ago, Sakura never thought she would be carrying the result of that night in her body.

"Well, I can tell you how. The who is the issue," Iona said, clicking buttons on the machine, taking pictures, and measuring. "This isn't Sasuke Uchiha's baby, is it?"

Sakura finally tore her eyes away from the screen. "What? No!" she shouted, and Iona smiled.

"Just covering my bases. The accusations are going to be rough. Were you raped?" Iona pulled the ultrasound from Sakura.

Her eyes snapped towards the screen, and the loss of the only way she could see the baby growing inside her. Moving, waving fingers, small mouth breathing in.

"No," Sakura said, to both the loss of image and the accusation. Suddenly, Iona's words hit her. "No. I wasn't raped."

Sakura didn't know why she said it. It would have been easier to say that she had—but then it would have felt like a betrayal. To herself, to Pain, to the baby inside of her.

"I was afraid you would say that," Iona murmured, and handed Sakura a strip of photos. Sakura eagerly grasped at them, and looked over each one rapidly.

"I'm not imagining this," she said, as Iona cleaned up and sat down, writing in Sakura's chart.

"No you are not," Iona replied, eyeing Sakura as she sat up on the exam table. "And I'm here for you to talk if you need to. I'm not going to pry, as much as I may want to, because I know the look on your face. I've been there, and I'm still not ready to talk about it. Now, about prenatal and planning—"

"Thank you," Sakura interrupted, and held the pictures close to her chest. "So much. You have no idea."

Iona's jaw worked and reworked, before she smiled. "I know. More than you think. I know."

Sakura held up her hand before Iona continued. "I don't mean to interrupt, but… when will I know the gender?"

Sakura couldn't think, she could barely speak. The thought of Pain's child growing inside of her was enough to make her want to run far away from Konoha, because this child wasn't safe here. She wasn't safe here, and neither was Amaya. Her heart clenched for the millionth time today, and Sakura thought she was going to fall apart then and there.

Iona laughed. "Did I forget?" she said, rolling her eyes, and rolling over next to Sakura. She took the pictures, looking over them carefully, before she finally pointed to one, labeled on the side.

"It's a boy."

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I find it hard writing the in-between stuff, so I hope it wasn't too painful to read.

Please let me know! Review! I enjoy reading your reviews, even if they are just a couple of words. They help me keep writing; they give me inspiration!

Thanks everyone!

Review!

~Adoration


	12. All I Want

_All I want is nothing more, hear you knocking at my door_  
 _'Cause if I could see your face once more, to die a happy woman I'm sure_  
 _When you said your last goodbye, I died a little bit inside_  
 _I lay in tears in bed all night, alone without you by my side._

 _If you love me, why'd you leave me?_  
 _Take my body, take my body_  
 _All I want is and all I need is_  
 _To find somebody, I'll find somebody like you._  
 _Like you. Like you. You._

 _'Cause you brought out the best of me,_  
 _A part of me I'd never seen,_  
 _You took my soul and wiped it clean,_  
 _Our love was made for movie screens._

 _-All I Want, Kodaline (Ellie Goulding Version)_

* * *

Chapter Twelve

It's amazing how one piece of information can change a life so quickly.

The thought had been running through Sakura's mind all afternoon, especially now that she stood looking at 'Big Sister' shirts for Amaya. When she woke up this morning, Sakura hadn't thought, "I'm carrying Pain's child." The thought had never crossed her mind—not even when they were actually together. Being with him, indulging in him, loving him—yes. But bringing a child into the mix? It wasn't even a question. Sakura wouldn't do it.

Now, she wouldn't want it any other way. Sakura loved children; she had been ready to have a million when she and Kohaku were together. Now, her life was so complicated. Now, her child was in imminent danger.

She didn't know what to do.

She had thought about leaving Konoha, but something held her back. The guilt would tear her apart for leaving. If she stayed, though, she couldn't explain to everyone that she had willingly had sex with an Akatsuki member, and had gotten pregnant. That she loved her child's father, more than she could ever have imagined to love someone. She would be labeled a traitor.

Amaya would grow up without a mother, and her life would be in danger as well. If word got out that the Akatsuki had help train Amaya, the whole village would think they were spies. Amaya would be taken away, and held God only knows where. Sakura didn't know what would happen to either of them, but she knew one thing. Suddenly, neither of them were safe.

And Sakura didn't know how to protect either one of them.

Flipping through the shirts, Sakura let her mind go blank. She couldn't think of the possibilities ahead, because none of them were going to be easy choices. Sakura didn't pretend to know of an easy choice, either, because she had learned long ago that life threw curveballs at the most unexpected times.

"Sakura."

She froze, because the voice was so unexpected. She had imagined the voice so many times in her head, yet she had never hoped to hear him here in Konoha. She had given up on that hope long ago.

Turning, Sakura had to lift her eyes to meet his. Long, blue-black strands of hair fell into his onyx, black eyes, and Sakura's breath caught in her throat. He stood near her, but far enough away to give her space to breath. Even though there was no way she could breathe in this moment. She almost said the wrong name, given that he looked so much like his older brother in that moment.

"Sasuke?" Sakura breathed, and took a step back. She looked around, eyes wide, as if to see if anyone else saw him. Was she imagining this?

"In the flesh," he said, a small smirk gracing his lips.

Sakura, a pink, ruffled shirt in her hand, met his eyes once more.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, and ducked her head. "You can't be here. They'll kill you."

Something rumbled up from Sasuke's chest, and Sakura realized it was a laugh. Sasuke didn't laugh. What was going on with this day?

"Calm down, Sakura," Sasuke said, holding a staying hand out. "I've been allowed back in the village. It's…complicated. I arrived last night."

Sakura wanted to smile, she truly did. Instead, Sakura smacked his staying hand away and hit his broad chest with the ruffled, pink shirt in her hand.

"Excuse me?" she hissed, anger slithering throughout her words. "You—you disappear for years, Sasuke. Years. Then you waltz in, tell me you're here to stay, and expect me to be calm? Oh, no. Get away from me."

Sakura took a step back when Sasuke raised his hands, but the smirk on his face remained. God, she wanted to smack it off of his face. Before, Sakura would have done anything to have Sasuke back.

Now?

Now it was the worst time. Sasuke was back, and she would have to leave. Irony was a bitch.

"Sakura," Sasuke murmured, expression contemplative, but his eyes sparkled with a bright, new fire.

"Don't 'Sakura' me, you—you—"

Sakura couldn't find any more words. Her cheeks were flushed, tears in her eyes, and her limbs were quivering. Adrenaline ran through her, and she thought she wanted to hurt him, kill him, and maim him for all of the things he had put her and the other rookies through. But…

All she wanted to do was hug him. Hug him, because he was looking at her without question. He looked at her without judgement or worry, because he hadn't been here to know what she had been through. He had fought his own demons, just as she, and Sakura could only speculate that he knew the privacy that she wanted.

Suddenly, Sakura hugged him. Right in the middle of the damn children's section, because she could. Because she wanted to. And, to her surprise, he hugged her back. His embrace was warm, inviting, and sucked her in to his warm body. As her face rested against his chest, she could hear his slow, steady heart beat in her ear. She could feel it through her skin, and pulse with hers. It shocked Sakura, and, eventually, she pulled away first.

"Does everyone else know?" she whispered, face still flushed, but for a different reason now.

An expression flashed over his face, one that Sakura couldn't recognize before it was gone. He nodded, and turned to look at the pink clothing on the racks.

"Yes," he responded, but said nothing else on the question. Sakura didn't pry, but she did wonder why he was inspecting children's clothing.

"Planning on trying out a new style?" Sakura asked, humor mixed in with speculation. "I don't think sparkling pink is your color."

Sasuke laughed, a deep, contented sound that Sakura was still trying to get used to, and held up a shirt that said, "Daddy's little shinobi."

"Think my daughter will like this?" he asked, quietly and, Sakura observed, almost afraid of her response.

Shock coursed through Sakura, but it was good shock. Happiness mingled with the shock, suddenly, and excitement. He really had gotten a life while he was out there, and that's all she had wished for him all of these years later.

Smiling, Sakura nodded. "Definitely."

Sasuke's smirk returned, and he motioned to the shirt in her hand. "I think congratulations are in order," he said, eyes doing a quick once over of Sakura.

Blinking, she looked down at the 'Big Sister' shirt in her hand, and she gasped. 'Shit,' she thought, wanted to smack her head against the wall and hide in the middle of one of the racks. Granted, she hadn't expected to see Sasuke Uchiha here in a children's store.

"I—ah—I don't—"

Sakura closed her eyes, sighed, and examined the shirt again. "Thanks. I wanted to surprise Amaya. I just found out this morning, but… I'm not too keen on telling anyone not just yet. So—"

Sasuke shook his head, held up a hand, and nodded. "No worries. Your secret is safe," he said, but nodded towards the t-shirt that was now tight over her lower stomach. "You might want to wear some looser clothing, though, and refrain from full body hugs."

Sakura blushed, rolled her eyes, and held the shirt close to her body. "I will heed your advice, oh wise one."

Sasuke laughed. "So, Amaya, was it? How old is she?"

"Seven," Sakura replied, smiling, and looking at the clock. She still had an hour before she had to pick Amaya up. Plenty of time. "Almost eight, now. God, time flies. How about your daughter?"

"Naomi's five. Almost six, and already wearing it proudly. Her birthday is next week," Sasuke said, looking decompressed all of a sudden. "She's just like her mother was—a little princess. She knows how to get herself spoiled."

Sakura laughed, and picked out a full outfit to go with the shirt she had picked. It was strange, being here with Sasuke while picking out clothes for their children. When she was younger, she had always wished she could do this with him while they were married. Now, her life was far from the fairytale that she had dreamt up as a child.

"Amaya's quiet and studious, much like I was. I spoil her regardless if she wants it or not," Sakura said, offhandedly. "She never complains."

Smiling, Sasuke grabbed a few more things and followed Sakura to the checkout counter. Sakura placed her items on the counter, and Sasuke placed hers next to his.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke said as Sakura dug through her purse, and Sakura smacked his hand that held his money away.

"Don't even think about it, mister," she growled, playfully, and held his hand away as she handed the woman the total in cash. "Consider it a coming home present from me to your daughter."

Sasuke looked flabbergasted, and took his bags.

"I forgot how stubborn you could be," he murmured, and Sakura laughed while taking her own bags.

"Good thing I had a chance to remind you, then."

Sasuke held the door open for her as they strolled onto the street, but, before Sakura could turn the other way, Sasuke stepped in front of her.

"Would you like to go get dinner with me tonight?"

Sakura, flustered, opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Eyes flashing, Sasuke amended his statement. "Not like that. You could bring Amaya, and I'll bring Naomi. We can… Catch up. I know, I'm not good at this, but—"

"I'll meet you in the park. There are a few stands out there now," Sakura intervened, eyes lightening, and heart beating fast.

Smiling, Sasuke nodded. "Great."

Nodding, Sasuke stepped aside, and Sakura started forward. Turning, though, Sakura called, "Sasuke!"

He looked over his shoulder, long hair blowing in the wind.

"Good to have you back," Sakura said, smiling. "Safe."

He looked speculative for a moment, and a little shocked, before he turned. "You too, Sakura. I'm glad you're safe."

Then, he was gone.

Sakura stood, shocked, and turned back to the sidewalk. He had known—of course he had known. Everyone knew. But… What did he think of her? He hadn't shown any contempt, any judgement. He had treated her just as she had imagined him to—normal.

Smiling to herself, Sakura sighed in content. This day had gone from worrisome, to ecstatic, to horrible, to worse, and now… Sakura was content. Maybe it was because all of the emotions were overloading her system, but Sakura had forgotten her troubles for a small few moments. That was the beauty of Sasuke—he made her forget everything, and focus on the here and now.

And Sakura didn't know if that was a good thing.

xxxXxxx

Putting the groceries neatly away, Amaya in the other room, Sakura set the gently wrapped box on the bar where Amaya usually sat to do her homework. The box was accompanied by a strawberry-cheesecake muffin, filled with blue icing. Instead of telling Amaya the gender, Sakura thought the muffin idea was cuter. Ino had thrown her a gender reveal party with Amaya, and it was more fun to find out like that.

Leaning back against the counter, Sakura couldn't help the jitters that overcame her. She didn't want Amaya to ask too many questions—Sakura wasn't ready to have the talk with her just yet. Seven was a little too young, but, if Amaya asked, Sakura would tell her if need be.

"Amaya?" Sakura called out. "Can you come in here?"

Sakura heard a sigh from the other room, and Amaya strolled in while dragging her homework behind her. "Do I have to do my homewo—"

She paused as she spotted the wrapped gift and muffin. "What's going on?" she asked, a touch of speculation in her tone. Her eyes narrowed, and Sakura couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"No, you don't have to work on your homework right now. Sit," Sakura said, and tried to hold back another laugh as Amaya's book-bag was dropped immediately. "You're not in trouble. I wouldn't be giving you a present if you were in trouble."

Amaya slid into the bar chair, and smiled suddenly. "Can I open it?"

"Of course!" Sakura exclaimed, smiling bright. The bright smile hid her nervousness well, because Amaya hadn't picked up on it just yet.

Gently and neatly opening the present, Amaya sat the paper aside, ever the organized little girl, and opened the clothing box. Pushing aside the paper covering the clothing, she smiled. "I've been wanting a new outfit! Wait, Mom, this says 'Big Sister.' Why—"

Suddenly, Amaya stopped, and Sakura could see when the realization clicked. Amaya's smile grew as she slowly looked up at her mother, and then at her stomach. "Big sister?"

"Yep," Sakura affirmed, and smiled.

Throwing her fists in the air, Amaya shouted, "Yes!"

Sakura couldn't contain her laughter as Amaya reacted. Jumping out of the chair, Amaya ran around and hugged her mother. Placing her head against Sakura's stomach, Amaya felt the bump there, smiled, and looked up at Sakura.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

Sakura shook her head, and pointed at the muffin. "I'm not going to tell you. You're going to have to let the muffin do the talking."

Just as quickly as she had run around to hug Sakura, Amaya was back in the bar chair lifting the muffin in the air. Taking a deep breath, she took a big bite, effectively revealing the blue icing within. Amaya screamed through her large bite, dropping her muffin back to the plate, and covered her mouth.

Her talking was muffled, and Sakura held out her hands. "Amaya, don't choke. Calm down. Swallow befo—"

Amaya was jumping up and down, though, turning and cheering. She again ran over to Sakura, swallowing the large bite that she had taken, and held her hands against Sakura's stomach.

"I knew you two loved each other!"

Sakura, confused, ran a hand through Amaya's snow white hair. "What?" she asked, lips pursed.

Amaya continued to stare at her mother's swelling stomach. "Well, you loved Daddy very much and then I was born. You loved Pain, so I knew I was going to have a baby brother or sister soon," Amaya reasoned, and then hugged her mother. "He's going to be so excited. He can finally come visit!"

Sakura opened her mouth, watching her daughter's hopeful expression, and Sakura suddenly grabbed Amaya's hands gently. She leaned down, kneeling before Amaya, and sighed.

Amaya quieted, and then her mood fell significantly.

"Baby," Sakura started, but Amaya looked away. Sakura's excitement fell. "I know you keep hoping that Pain and his family will come visit, but they can't. Things are going to be like before, and—"

"Why?" Amaya interrupted, and pulled her hands away from Sakura's. "Why can't he come see us? Why can't we go see him? They can't be so bad, Mom. We lived with them—they helped you and I. They're good people!"

"They're not, baby," Sakura tried to reason, but Amaya shook her head violently.

"They are! And you're going to let my baby brother grow up like I did? Without a daddy? Do you know how hard that was?" Amaya shouted, and Sakura was speechless. "He can't grow up like that, Mommy, he just can't! Pain can help him like he helped me. Pain can help us like before if we're in trouble!"

"Amaya—"

Suddenly, Amaya pulled away and turned, running for the stairs. "No! He can help us!"

"Amaya!" Sakura called, and took off after her daughter. What was she doing?

Running up the stairs and down the hall, Sakura watched as Amaya took a sharp right into Sakura's bedroom. Following, Sakura watched as she snatched the gifts off of her mother's dresser. Setting them on the bed, Amaya pointed to them.

"One of them has to do something, right? They wouldn't give you anything useless. I know they wouldn't, because they told me what they were making for you. Please, Mommy, please call them. I miss them. I miss traveling, and sparring, and not having to worry about what I talk about. Please, if you call them here then we can explain what they did wrong! Is that the problem?"

Sakura watched as the tears sprung from her daughters eyes, and Sakura's heart fell. She had hoped Amaya wouldn't get to this point, but she had known it was hard for Amaya to adjust back to the normal in and out of Konoha. She had liked the change of scenery the Akatsuki had brought to her life—a little too much for Sakura to be comfortable with. Now, her love for the Akatsuki was showing, and Amaya didn't even realize who she was talking about.

"Amaya, stop," Sakura commanded, but Amaya only grabbed for the small box at the edge of the bed. " _Amaya, stop_."

Amaya opened the box, and shoved the ring at her mother. "If you're having my baby brother, then you love Pain. You love my brother's Daddy. Why don't you wear the ring? You wore my Daddy's ring every day before we left."

Sakura took the ring from Amaya, overlooking the intricate detail that was set into the ring, and felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Mommy, put it on. Please," Amaya pleaded, and took the ring out of the box. "It meant a lot to him. It should mean a lot to you, too."

Blinking, Sakura leaned down and took the ring from Amaya. "How do you know that, baby?"

Amaya looked sheepish, and looked away from her mother's gaze. "He told me. He asked me if you would like it, and then he showed it to me. He said it would help you when things got tough, too. So I know it's not useless. He asked me if he could give it to you, because you mean a lot to him. But he wanted my permission to ask you to give you something that symbolized that. To see if it was alright."

Sakura heart clenched with every word, and she looked down at the ring in her hand. Pain had fought for her that night—she knew it. She had been so scared, afterward, to infuse her chakra with the ring only to find out that he had died. But…

Now, Amaya made more sense than Sakura's thoughts ever had. Sakura knew she loved Pain, but had been reluctant to acknowledge the emotion. Not only to protect Amaya, but to protect herself.

"You approve?" Sakura asked, holding the ring in her palm.

Amaya stood for a second, then wrapped her mother's fingers around the ring. "Duh, Mommy," she said, as if the question had been obviously obvious.

Sakura chuckled, and Amaya giggled. "Put it on," Amaya said, motioning to the ring.

Hesitating, Sakura nodded. "Alright. I will, but I'll do it later. We can talk to him together. I promise. Right now, we have to get ready to have dinner with an old friend of mine, okay? He knows of your brother, so you don't have to be too secretive. But nothing else, so don't say anything."

Smiling happily, Amaya nodded. "Okay, Momma."

As Amaya retreated to go put something nice on, Sakura grabbed the box and placed the ring safety inside. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a nice, flowing, green shirt, Sakura slipped the ring box into her pocket and sighed. Now, she didn't want to let the ring out of her sight.

Pulling on a light jacket, and grabbing her wallet, Sakura retreated downstairs.

'Crisis averted,' she thought, looking at the pictures on the wall as she descended. 'For now.'

xxxXxxx

Entering the park, Amaya by her side, Sakura hugged the jacket closer around herself. The air was chilly, and she was glad she had made Amaya wear a long-sleeved sweater. The sweater was pink and black polka dots, and her black jeans matched well, along with the pink boots she wore. Sakura had allowed Amaya to pick her outfit, and Sakura felt rather proud the moment her daughter and set foot downstairs. She looked cute and stylish, one thing Sakura always made sure of.

Her daughter may not be a princess, but Sakura was going to make sure she looked and got treated as one.

Seeing a head of familiar, raven black hair ahead, Sakura began to head towards the park bench Sasuke sat on. When he spotted her, Sakura saw him wave. He called over his shoulder to a small girl who had been playing in the bushes, and Sakura couldn't help but smile as they got closer.

The small girl had Sasuke's raven black hair, but she had bright, yellow-gold eyes, freckled with peridot green. She had Sasuke's set expression, until she smiled shyly. Then her features became soft, and took on something unlike Sasuke at all. Her hair had a red tinge to it in the setting sunlight, and vaguely reminded her of—

"I see you took my advice," Sasuke said, and Sakura nodded. "You look beautiful."

Sakura smiled, rolling her eyes at his kindness. Pulling Amaya in front of her, Sakura motioned to Sasuke. "Amaya, this is my old teammate, Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke, this is Amaya."

Amaya's eyes widened a moment, having heard stories of the famous Uchiha's, and then stuck her hand out. "Nice to meet you," she said, and waited for him to shake her small hand.

Sasuke, looking amused, extended his hand and shook. "The pleasure is all mine, little one," he said.

"Amaya's nose scrunched up. "I'm not little."

"Well," Sasuke replied, looking her over. "To me, you are small. But you have a big personality like your Mother."

Looking satisfied, Amaya nodded and crossed her arms. Looking to the younger girl in front of her, Amaya suddenly smiled.

"And you are?" Amaya asked politely.

The smaller, gold-eyed girl clung to Sasuke's leg.

"Naomi, this is Sakura and Amaya," Sasuke introduced, and Naomi extended a hesitant hand to Amaya.

Amaya and she shook, and then Sakura leaned down. Naomi stuck her hand out to shake, but Sakura pulled her into a hug. The girl was rigid, but then relaxed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Naomi," Sakura said, and, when Naomi pulled away, the young girl was smiling brightly.

Sasuke the hint of a smile on his lips when they turned, Sakura next to Sasuke and Amaya walking with Naomi.

"You know, I never thought today would go like it has," Sakura said, bumping her side into Sasuke's.

"Yeah," Sasuke said, glancing to Sakura, before looking back to the girls who were scoping out the food trucks. "Where to, girls?"

Amaya looked to Naomi and held her arms out, allowing the small girl to choose. Sakura giggled under her breath, and Naomi pointed to a red and black food truck that sold Ramen and sweets.

"I was so hoping they would choose that one," Sakura confessed as the girls took off running, and Sasuke laughed.

"Not only did I miss good Konoha Ramen, it's closer than the other food trucks as well."

Sakura nodded in agreement.

Ordering their food, Sakura and Sasuke were silent as the girls chatted away about what they had ordered.

"Well, they're hitting it off," Sasuke whispered his observation, and Sakura laughed, nodding.

"Definitely."

She and Sasuke grabbed their food, and their daughter's, and sat down on the benches next to the vast pond. Ducks and geese swam by in the water, and Naomi and Amaya had chosen to sit on the grass near the water to watch the animals.

"So, how are you?" Sasuke eventually asked, and Sakura had to work at not freezing mid sip of broth.

She nodded. "Fine, how are you?"

Sasuke gave her a skeptical look, and set his Ramen cup in his lap. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Sakura rolled her eyes, fiddling with her chopsticks. "I'm fine. Being back is different. But I'm back, and safe."

"You don't look to happy about it," Sasuke observed after a moment, slurping at his noodles quietly.

"Neither do you," Sakura snapped, and then instantly regretted the strong emotion. "Sorry. I don't… I don't talk about it."

Looking up from her noodles, Sakura observed Sasuke. "What do you know?"

HE was silent for a moment before he lowered his cup, and sat it next to him. Finished. "I asked about you and Naruto as soon as I got back. Tsunade gave me the rundown of what happened—Amaya was kidnapped, you went after her, and you disappeared for five months. They eventually found you with the Akatsuki. But they couldn't find a trace of you; it was like you didn't want to be found, Sakura."

Sakura kept quiet.

"How far along are you?" Sasuke whispered, and Sakura looked away. He leaned away, back straightening. "I'll hurt him, Sakura. Whoever did this to you? I will, and—"

"Oh, don't get all chivalrous now," Sakura chided, pursing her lips. "I wasn't raped. But you've already figured that out."

Sasuke was still, before she saw him nod. "You're not yourself; even I can realize you're different, and I've been back for a day. The others are fools to not see a difference—you've lost your spark."

"I had a spark?" Sakura asked, and Sasuke willed her to look at him.

"You always had a spark. It kept me going when Naruto was a fool—your encouragement when we were younger. You still have it, but you're not here. Your mind is somewhere else. Why do you think I left?"

Sakura flinched.

"I left because my destiny wasn't here; my heart wasn't here. I needed things that Konoha couldn't give me, and now I'm here. It's what I need right now, and it's what Naomi needs," Sasuke said in a hushed tone, and Sakura allowed him to speak. It was like he had wanted to say all of this when they had first met, but now that the girls were occupied he could speak without interruption.

"Sometimes you need to leave to get what you need, and that's okay," Sasuke said, and Sakura shook her head.

"I couldn't come back. If I left, I wouldn't. As it is, it's too dangerous here for me. For Amaya. I'm four months pregnant—and I didn't find out until this morning. If I completely missed that, then what else am I not seeing?" Sakura said, sipping at the remaining of her beef broth.

Sasuke nodded. "I understand, more than anyone else here, Sakura."

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, and his eyes were glazed over.

"So," Sakura started, motioning to Naomi. "What's the story?"

Sasuke smiled, reflectively, and looked down at his lap. "How did I know you were going to ask?"

"Well, you are quizzing me and lecturing me," Sakura replied, mirroring his small smile.

"I met Rin while she was healing Orochimaru. Of course, he wanted to possess her body, as Orochimaru often did with the beautiful ones. Long story short, I saved her and whisked her away. Nine months later, Naomi was born and Rin died in child birth. Nothing special."

Sasuke's tone had become restricted, hiding away emotion. Sakura bumped her shoulders with his.

"Ren—Kohaku, long story there—died while we were on a mission. Eight months later Amaya was born. He had proposed just before the mission," Sakura said, and Sasuke finally looked at her. "I'm sorry. I know your loss."

Sasuke nodded, swallowing, and looked back at his daughter.

"I'm sorry, too," he said, bumping shoulders back with Sakura, and moved to throw their cups away.

"Sasuke, can I tell you—"

Suddenly, three ANBU stood before them. "Sakura Haruno," one said, who Sakura didn't recognize. She couldn't place any of them.

Sasuke turned, rigid, and his eyes darted from the ANBU to Sakura.

"Yes?" she replied, confused, eyes darting to Amaya and Naomi at the ponds edge.

"We need you to come with us. Ibiki needs your assistance with a hostage at the prison," another responded, waiting for her response. Normally, they didn't wait—they just disappeared.

Sakura, flustered, looked to Sasuke, and then to the girls.

"Can't it wait?" she asked the ANBU, and the third shook his head. Silent.

Sighing, Sakura stood. "Fine. I need too—"

"I'll take Amaya, Sakura," Sasuke said, looking wary. Why? Sakura knew this was routine for her, but Sasuke must still be adjusting. "I'll have her until you get home."

Sakura nodded, thankful, and turned to the ANBU. "I'll meet you there," Sakura said, and moved to brush past them. Instead, one stepped in front of her.

"This is urgent. You'll need to come with us. Immediately."

Mouth gaping in surprise, Sakura rolled her eyes and complied. "Fine, but you owe me new clothes, whoever you are, if these get dirty."

She heard Sasuke's amused snort behind her, before the park was gone.

xxxXxxx

The prison was as dreary as ever, especially when the doors slammed shut behind her. She hadn't been here since her return, but they had rebuilt the sections that had been destroyed in the battle a few months previous. The walls weren't cracked anymore, but the musty scent of iron and earth still remained.

Sakura, accompanied by the three ANBU members that had escorted her here, made to turn down the infirmary hallway, but the ANBU kept her heading straight.

"I'm here to heal a prisoner, aren't I?" she asked, and was perplexed when she didn't get an answer. Sighing, Sakura went along with it, and followed through the thick doors that led to the interrogation rooms.

"Look, if you could just—"

Suddenly, the Black Op with the eagle mask opened an interrogation room door and led Sakura through. Shoving her inside, Sakura was appalled. She turned to shout, but the door was already slamming in her face.

"Excuse me? Rude!" she shouted, and turned.

The room was dark—no windows, no air vent. The only ventilation came from the vents in the doors that allowed the air from the hallway to seep in. The one, flickering light was hung over the table in the center of the room, where two chairs sat. One was occupied, the other neatly placed adjacent from the person. He didn't seem to appear to be hurt, until his face came into focus.

"Lord Danzo, I'm sorry to shout in your presence," Sakura said, suddenly flushing in embarrassment.

He was quiet for a moment, and then smirked. "No need to apologize. Please, come sit."

Sakura, hesitating, finally headed towards the chair. Seating herself, she tried to ignore the dripping from behind Danzo. It was annoying, and the only thing Sakura could focus on.

Danzo, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, looked stern. Sakura paid him no mind, searching the room for the suspect she was meant to be healing.

"Let's cut out the chit-chat, why don't we?" Danzo said, and leaned forward. "Sakura Haruno, you are under arrest for treason against Konoha. You are charged with consorting, funneling information to, and protecting the Akatsuki. Harboring an S-Class criminal is a high offense, but harboring ten is unforgiveable. Your daughter is being taken into custody until further notice, as well."

Sakua was frozen—Danzo's words swirled around in her mind as she processed them, and her eyes widened.

" _Excuse me?"_

"Your crimes are unforgiveable, and you have put your village at the highest risk," Danzo said. "You and your daughter will be executed, Miss Haruno, along with the disgraceful child that grows in your belly. You are a traitor to your country, and you will die as such."

Sakura took a sudden breath, and, just like that, her world began to implode before her.

It's amazing how one piece of information can change a life so quickly.

* * *

Hey everyone! Hope you liked it! I tried to do a quick update since I had some time off from school work. Back to work now!

REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Please tell me what you think! Thanks!

~Adoration


	13. Say You Love Me

_"Say you love me to my face,_  
 _I need it more than your embrace,_  
 _Just say you want me, that's all it takes,_  
 _Heart's getting torn from your mistakes._

 _'Cause I don't wanna fall in love,_  
 _If you don't wanna try,_  
 _But all that I've been thinking of,_  
 _Is maybe that you're mine,_  
 _Baby it looks as though we're running out of words to say,_  
 _And love's floating away._

 _Just say you love me, just for today,_  
 _And don't give me time 'cause that's not the same,_  
 _Want to feel burning flames when you say my name,_  
 _Want to feel passion flow into my bones,_  
 _Like blood through my veins."_

 _~Say You Love Me, Jessie Ware_

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

Sasuke stared at the many pictures on the wall, his eyes devouring one scene and then another. It was amazing how her life had taken off—and then had suddenly been changed. Just as his had. He had half hoped that, when he returned, she would be waiting for him. That she would be waiting with open arms to accept him back—but he knew that wasn't realistic thinking. And, proven by the many memories she had made without, she had moved on long ago.

And what had he expected? For her to actually wait? He certainly hadn't. Naomi's mother, Rin, had been the light of his life, yet Sakura's young, innocent devotion had always held a secret part of his heart. Whether that be a romantic or brother-like affection, he had no chance to decide now. Not with the blatant affection for another in her eyes. Sakura could deny all she wanted, avoid the topic all she wanted, but her heart wasn't here anymore. Konoha may be her home, but, like Sasuke, her heart was being led on a path no one else could follow.

Sasuke returned because he had too. He had his reasons, and none of which needed to be discussed with Sakura. She had enough on her mind right now—his involvement in her life should make as little an impact as possible.

Smiling slightly at the wedding photos adorning a part of the collage of photo frames, Sasuke traced his finger along a few of the solo shots of Sakura. She could have been his, but he had blown that. He had lost anyone he'd ever loved, and, even if Sakura could be his he wouldn't risk her life. Not Sakura. He had to keep her safe—if not for him, then for whoever cared for her.

Turning, he peeked around the corner to the see the girls sitting at the kitchen table eating their ice cream. Their hushed giggles almost made him chuckle, and he would have if the glass door behind them hadn't began to smoothly open.

Blinking, the small moment of darkness was enough for the ANBU to have Amaya and Naomi in their grasp, and a Kunai at Sasuke's throat.

"Don't move," said the ANBU behind him, holding the kunai to his throat. "Sasuke Uchiha, you have no business being here."

Sneering, Sasuke glanced around at the three masked shinobi.

"I can be anywhere that I please within the village. I _have_ been reinstated as a citizen, you know," he countered, eyes never leaving the girls.

The ANBU's grip on them tightened, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Daddy," Naomi whimpered, grasping at the arm around her neck. Her eyes were wide, but she stayed calm. Good girl.

"Knock them out, make sure they don't remember anything. They're not involved in this. Bring the Haruno girl, and make sure she doesn't escape."

Before Sasuke could move, Amaya was shaking with her eyes wide. Amber eyes. Hadn't those been green?

"No," she whispered, staring straight into the eyes of the shinobi behind Sasuke. "Where are you taking me? No. Stop. _I said stop."_

As the girl spoke, no one listened. The ANBU had their orders, and the words of a small, seven year old wouldn't change much. But as Sasuke stared into her eyes, he could see a soul that was far advanced beyond her years.

Barely opening his mouth to speak, her appearance had changed. Her eyes narrowed, her amber iris's bright and foreboding.

"Let us go," she warned, but the ANBU holding her only hoisted her into the air.

"Amay—" Sasuke started, and then winced.

Bones cracked to a halt as the motions of the ANBU were stopped, their bodies held in place. As the shinobi fought against the hold, Amaya's body began to shake. Her breathing became labored, and her tone held a pleading note.

"Please, let us go. I don't want to hurt you."

"Ha!" shouted one of the men, beginning to move, slowly, under the control she was exerting over their bodies. "I'd like to see you try, you disgrace. You better watch what you say to us, or we'll make sure your last few hours aren't pleasant."

 _Last few hours?_

Sasuke's sharigan came alive, and he couldn't help but blink a few times to register the Kekkei Genkai that Sakura's daughter wielded.

"You know, your mother shouldn't have brought you back here. Not that you had much of a choice, from what I hear. But she should have left at the first chance she had. Now look what we have to do. Clean up after you both. Disgraceful, disgusting whores. The both of you."

This wasn't good.

"Look at you, shaking like the scared, scared child you are."

Not at all.

Her chakra appeared controlled, but the small amount of control she was exerting she couldn't fully grasp. She couldn't keep her hold for long, and anyone in the vicinity would—

He took the chance to slip out from the kunai at his throat, and he immediately grabbed at Naomi. Pulling her from her captor's tight grip, he leapt back into the other room and covered her with his cloak.

"Close your eyes! Now, Naomi!" he shouted, as Amaya's shaking reached a peak. The taunts of the ANBU pushed her over the edge, and a sudden, angry, rage filled scream left her lips.

The pain in Sasuke's head registered, and he shouted, one hand gripping his temple. "Amaya!" he pleaded, shouting, before curling around his daughter.

The men didn't have a chance to shriek, to scream, to plead, or breath. Red. Everywhere. Blood splattered the walls, the kitchen counter, the floor, and splatted well out of the room, reaching the bottom of Sasuke's cloak and drenching the fabric there. He carefully kept Naomi shielded, but glanced shakily to meet Amaya's gaze.

The amber color was receding towards her pupil, leaving a swirling, emerald green in its place. Her rage filled expression was slowly replaced by confusion, shock, and utter, petrified, fear. She was drenched in wet, sticky, warm, red liquid, and her silver hair would have stains.

Staring, Sasuke had no words.

Amaya didn't scream when her jaw fell open, but she didn't stop shaking. The control she had exerted had been incredible, but it hadn't been enough to contain the anger she felt.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, suddenly, eyes meeting Sasuke's. The old soul that was trapped within this small girl was more apparent then than it probably ever would be. The fear etched into her expression, but the understanding within her gaze. The wheels in her mind were turning, and she had thought to check up on those who meant her no harm.

Now he knew why Itachi had taken such a liking to the small child.

Nodding, Sasuke didn't say a word in fear that he might provoke her. He wanted to give her no chance to deem him a threat. He didn't know how Sakura could do it; how she could take Amaya out without the fear that every temper change was the moment her daughter would lose control.

"You need to go," she whispered, and stood, blood dripping from the fingers that fell to her sides. "You need to please forget what you saw here, because I know you mean well for my mother and I. Please."

And, with that, Amaya turned and disappeared up the stairs, muttering, "Bird…bird…I need to grab that bird…" before she disappeared completely.

"Amaya," Sasuke shouted, and checked on his daughter. His daughter was strong, and had been subjected to a lot of scenes she should have never seen. Nodding, even at four, she understood that she was fine. That she would be okay, because she was by his side. Sasuke would do anything for his daughter, and he knew Sakura would do anything for hers.

"Amaya!" Sasuke shouted again, and hoisted Naomi into his arms. "Let me help you. The clay bird, right? That's what you're looking for?"

xxxXxxx

"No, you listen to me, Danzo," Sakura growled, rising from her seat, leaning on both hands towards the man before her. "There is no way in heaven or hell that Lady Tsunade will let you get away with this. None."

"That's why I don't take my orders from Tsunade, child. The elders and I do what we need to ensure the safety of this country. And you and your daughter have become a danger to that security."

"How? She's seven!" Sakura shouted, slamming her hands on the table, unable to believe what was unfolding before her.

"Seven with the ability to kill mercilessly. I've seen her kind before. Her Kekkei Genkai. I've exterminated it, and the world is better for it. Sakura, your daughter has had a target on her back since she was born. We only needed to make sure she had the ability before ridding the world of her existence. We could have gotten away with it, too, if you hadn't disobeyed Tsunade and gone after her."

Sakura's heart stopped, and her suspicions were confirmed. "You had my daughter kidnapped and taken away. To be killed."

Danzo nodded, eyes never leaving Sakura. "I didn't complain when you left. You're a gifted shinobi, Sakura Haruno, but expendable. Everyone is expendable, and you would have been one less nuisance snooping around. Then again, a good story satiates you, doesn't it?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed, but she didn't want to take the bait. What was he implying? Slipping her hands into her pockets, Sakura turned and moved towards the door. She tried the handle: locked. Of course. She kicked at the door, and it didn't budge. Banged on the door.

Standing back, breathing tight, her fingers grazed something in her pocket. Feeling lightly for it, Sakura stared at the door and grasped the ring in her pocket. The ring. Blinking, Sakura knew she shouldn't put it on. She also knew that she couldn't get herself out of this situation, as much as she wanted to wish otherwise. Maybe, just maybe, Pain was alive. Maybe he could save Amaya, and Sakura could give him some other information in the process.

Slipping the ring slowly on, Sakura closed her eyes and felt the smooth, cool metal lick at her skin. The chakra infused into the ring swirled, enough for her to notice, but hidden from the other shinobi that may be feeling for chakra signatures nearby. The chakra leapt at her skin, enticing and hot.

Sakura knew that if Pain was dead, then her hope was dead. Any hope for herself was gone, but Sasuke could save Amaya. He could, and he would.

Sakura needed Pain to be alive. Not only for herself, but for the child growing inside of her.

Letting her chakra mingle with Pain's, the electricity that ran through the ring was like hot fire following a trail of powder. The electricity spread from her hand, through her body, and covered her skin. Sakura could have sworn the heat swimming through her was visible, but time had slowed. Sakura's movements seemed to be sluggish, to have slowed with the world around her.

The sparking electricity followed her skin to her throat, leaving kisses and bites wherever it went, and finally reached her mind. She would have thought her mind would be sluggish with the hot electricity coursing through her, but her mind was clear. Clearer than it had been in a long time.

Sakura reached out in her mind, grasping for anything in the darkness. Anything that might save her, because how she knew she needed saving. She couldn't do this by herself anymore. Not when she had let everything become such a mess. She needed help. Help from anyone, anywhere. She needed Pain's help.

Pain.

 _Pain_.

' _Sakura_.'

His voice was a caress in her mind that reached through their bond and held her body together when she wanted to fall apart. His presence became clear, so clear, that all she wanted to do was drop to the floor and cry. He wasn't dead—he was alive.

' _Took you long enough_ ,' his smooth, deep voice whispered, and Sakura would have punched him square in the chest for his sarcasm if he'd been here. But he was here, in her mind, and he was alive. Sakura pictured the scene, and his warm, sudden laugh reached through their link.

Sakura wanted to smile, to laugh, to enjoy this moment of pure bliss, but the world around her came crashing back to reality, and Danzo shifted behind her. Sakura opened her eyes then, and allowed the bond in her mind to see what she was seeing. She focused her chakra on allowing Pain to see through her eyes, and she could feel him there. As if he were right next to her, where he belonged.

"I don't understand," Sakura replied to Danzo, turning to face the village elder.

"You wouldn't," Danzo replied, appearing just as calm as before Sakura had turned around. To Sakura, it had seemed like the whole world had stopped when she put on the ring. "You are blind and ignorant to what is going on around you, especially with the people you love, Sakura."

Sakura held her breath, and ground her teeth. What on earth was he talking about?

"It was easy to make you think Kohaku—I'm sorry, Ren—died in an accident. Betrayal, I think it was. Ayane Naoko, I believe was out covert agent. Ayane was the only one who knew what that mission was about—killing your fiancé, because of the danger he posed to the village. If I had known you were pregnant then, like you are now, I would have done something about it. Now, I know to get rid of you before you bring more trouble to my village, Miss Haruno."

Confusion filled her, and the emotion was not solely hers alone.

' _Sakura_.'

Continued confusion on her part, then realization.

Her body shook, her vision trembled, and tears jumped to her eyes. Realization, tempered with grief, suddenly transformed into rage. Her rage.

"You killed my fiancé," she growled. "You killed Amaya's father, and then you killed Ayane."

"I promised her safety, but she was expendable as well. Replaceable. As was your fiancé."

"They're ability is a _gift_ , how can you not see that? You kill because you are _scared_ ," Sakura shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. Sakura could feel another entity inside her, with its own emotions, and realized Pain was still there with her.

The anger radiating from their link was like no other, and Sakura knew why.

' _Like you are now_?' Pain's voice whispered through their bond, and she could feel the flush of anger. It was held back, tempered, in case he had heard wrong.

' _Yes_ ,' Sakura replied, and the rush of rage that coursed through her was like no other. Sakura wanted to murder Danzo where he stood, but she held herself back. Unable to keep her emotions from mixing with Pain's, Sakura stood where she was. Frozen. Although, Sakura had considered killing the man herself.

"So, now you want to kill my daughter and, along with me, my unborn child," Sakura whispered, shaking from the exertion of holding herself back.

' _Pain, please_ ,' she pleaded, knowing his anger, but needing to get control of herself. ' _I know. Please_.'

The rush of emotion began to settle, allowing her body to stop shaking. Breathing deep, in order to keep calm, Sakura eyed Danzo carefully.

"Yes," he replied, and Sakura spun, hitting the door hard enough that it should have broken. Cracked. Anything. But the door remained in place, and blood trickled from knuckles. Well, maybe some of that murderous rage had been her own. Kicking the door just as hard, Sakura's breathing became ragged. Panic began to set in, and she turned.

Danzo was standing in front of her, and Sakura shouted in surprise. His good hand snaked around her throat, and pinned her against the wall.

Pain roared inside her head, and familiar images of the Village Hidden by Rain flashed through her mind. The city, as viewed from the high tower pain inhabited. Pain's bedroom. A long hallway. Darkness. Unable to breath, Sakura grasped at his hand and silently wished she had punched him instead of the door. The man in front of her deserved to die a terrible, menacingly gruesome death.

"I will kill you, Sakura Haruno, and you will not be missed, because you will be labeled a traitor to your country. You knew, the moment you chose the Akatsuki over your own country and its people that this would happen. Don't look so angry, child."

Taking a small breath, Sakura snarled. "Apparently, I chose right, because I would have been killed anyways."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sakura spat in Danzo's face, and she went flying into the wall to her right. Stunned for a moment, she failed to stop Danzo's foot from connecting with her abdomen. The blow was harsh, and she curled around her stomach to protect the child growing there. Four months and growing. Sakura knew she needed to do everything to protect her children. She needed Pain, because he knew what to do. He could help her escape.

' _I will do anything to get you out, Sakura, know that_ ,' Pain's smooth, dangerously calm voice said, and Sakura knew he would. He would level the village for her, and, suddenly, Sakura wouldn't stop him. Everything she knew was shattering, and she couldn't gain control of what was happening around her.

' _Get Amaya first_ ,' Sakura pleaded, and, grabbing Danzo's foot, she spun and threw him aside.

' _Deidara's on his way now. Watch o—'_

Danzo's foot connected with her cheek in a roundhouse kick, and Sakura stumbled back into the wall cursing. Wiping the blood that trickled down her lip, Sakura made a few hand signs and gathered enough chakra in her hand to do some damage to the surrounding building. Pushing herself forward, fist cocked back, Sakura was inches away when Danzo dodged her attack, and her fist connected with the wall. The wall should have shattered, but it didn't, and Sakura could figure out why.

Weakness took over. Coming to her knees, Sakura blinked and met Danzo's amused gaze. "Smart," she said, and grasped at her stomach where he had kicked her. She knew there would be a bruise where her baby bump was, and anger filled her once more. Unable to move, though, Sakura could feel the energy being drained out of her. "The room is slowly sucking out my chakra."

"Contrary to what you may think, I have a little bit of intelligence in this old mind."

Danzo stepped towards her, grasped her throat, and lifted her up. Pinning her to the wall, he pulled out a knife, and, cutting off her air supply, he admired the blade.

"Death is a beautiful thing," he said, the blade glinting from the small light over the table. Sakura's eyes went wide as her weak hands grappled against Danzo, her gaze going from the blade to his face and back to the blade.

' _Pain, help me_ ,' Sakura pleaded, trying to get the smallest of breath to relieve the fire in her lungs. ' _Please help me. Please. Pain_!'

' _I know, Sakura, I know. I need you to get blood on the ring. Hurry,_ ' Pain replied, his voice calm, but Sakura could hear the tempered rage just beyond the calm.

Sakura couldn't focus. Her energy was draining, and she tried to cut into her skin just next to the ring with her nail.

Danzo twisted the blade over in his hand, and looked back to Sakura. "I'm going to take pleasure in ridding this village of you, and the danger you pose to it. Too bad you won't see you daughter again before you die. You should have learned some manners, Sakura."

Suddenly, the blade came across her throat, and warm blood poured over her hands.

' _No!_ ' Pain shouted, and she could feel his warmth coursing through her body.

Falling to her knees, with her hands at her throat trying to stop the bleeding, Sakura could feel her vision fading. Blood covered her hands and the intricate ring glinted in the small amount of light through the thick, warm liquid.

Picturing Pain as she closed her eyes, Sakura knew she would never see him again. She couldn't breathe through the pain in her throat, and how hard she had to grip to stop the gushing river of blood there. She would die, along with their unborn child—a boy. Had she told him that? It was a boy.

Suddenly, the world around Sakura swirled, and she thought that she had gone into her own head. That she had passed out, and was gone, but suddenly…

He was there. His warmth, his breath against her skin, his scent so unique to him engulfed her—rain, pine, and the musk scent of wild bathed her senses.

"Hold on, Sakura," Pain said, and his voice was strong. Commanding. Wavering.

Her hands were slowly pried from her throat, replaced by stronger, warmer, larger ones. Her gaze, flickering in and out of consciousness, moved around to take in her surroundings. The large, cavernous room was lit with blazing flames that lined the wall all around the circular space. A large statue stood at the head of the room, and the hands extended above Sakura. Each finger held a figure, either a transparent figure or actual body. The Akatsuki. Finally, Sakura's gaze fell on the man above her, and his ringed eyes met hers.

"Hey," she mouthed, a smile coming to her lips. Her eyes closed, then, and she could hear his frantic words running through her mind and ears.

' _Stay with me, Sakura. Don't worry. I'm healing you, alright? You'll be okay in a few minutes. Stay with me, damnit,_ ' he spoke, his words running through her mind.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. "Konan, go grab some water for Sakura. Bandages, too. I can only heal so much, right now."

Konan, who stood just across from Pain a few feet away, eyes wide, nodded.

Sakura blinked, eyes coming back into focus, and she raised her hand to grip his thigh. Touching him sent an electric bolt of need through her, and she finally raised her other hand to cover his. Lending him her healing chakra, Pain met her eyes once more. The smile was ever so small there, but it was there.

"It's a boy?" he asked, his voice cracking, and Sakura couldn't help but smile through the pain.

"Yeah," she mouthed, and tightened her grip on his thigh. As the chakra slowly faded at her throat, she chanced her voice. "Yes," she said, her voice gravelly, and her throat aching. But not bleeding anymore.

Putting her hands against the ground and pushing, Pain helped her sit up. Her head whirled, and so did the world. Wobbling, Pain held her tight and laid her back down.

"Sakura, don't push it. Lay down," he commanded, and she didn't complain. Danzo had barely grazed her carotid artery, so she had bled significantly.

Sakura's eyes closed for a moment, but Pain's warm hands lifted her from the fog. "Don't go to sleep, princess," he whispered, caressing the matted hair from her face. His hand lightly caressed her jaw, and lightly touched the piercing at her nose. Raising an eyebrow, Sakura couldn't contain the small laugh that bubbled up.

"There's more where that came from, too," Sakura said, voice strained, and suddenly she was coughing. Heaving upwards and to the side, Sakura's stomach lurched, and Konan returned with a small bucket just in time.

"I knew she'd be sick. That jutsu always makes me sick," Konan said, brushing Sakura's hair back and holding it up off of her neck. Pain's hands caressed her back and side.

"She's pregnant," Pain said, his voice barely above a whisper, and Konan's head snapped up.

"And you did that?" she hissed, eyes narrowed.

"Well, I hope so," Pain murmured, staring at Sakura.

Konan's hand reached out and smacked the back of pain's head. "The jutsu, Pain. We need to get her to the infirmary. I need to check the baby. The teleportation jutsu can be dangerous over long distances like that."

"I'm in the Rain Village?" Sakura asked, the fog clearing from her mind little by little.

"Yes," Pain replied, and Konan handed her a napkin. Looping an arm under her legs and then her back, Pain began to lift her up.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she pushed him away. "Stop, stop," she muttered. Shaking her head, she looked around. "Where is Amaya?"

Pain ran a hand through her hair. "She's safe, Sakura. She's with Deidara on her way back here. Sasuke kept her safe until Deidara reached them. She's okay."

Opening her mouth, Pain cut her off. "I'll explain everything later."

' _Forgot, mind reading is a thing between us now_ ,' Sakura thought, and smiled mischievously.

Pain smirked, ever so slightly, and lifted her up into his arms. ' _Only if you want me to, Sakura_.'

Sakura, smiling, looked over the room once more and noticed the other members watching them all. Hiding her face, Sakura couldn't help but curl up even more into Pain's arms. Of course they had to have seen her at her weakest. Of course.

Being carried down the long corridor of Pain's tower in the Rain Village was surreal. Just this morning the day had been going to well, having found out she was pregnant and reuniting with an old comrade.

"How is Sasuke? And Naomi? Please tell me Naomi is okay," Sakura asked and pleaded, eyes begging Pain to reply with the truth.

"Sasuke is fine, Deidara said. Naomi?" Pain asked, taking the steps a few at a time as he hurried down a second hallway.

"His daughter," Sakura replied, stomach coiling in knots. If Naomi had gotten hurt on their behalf…

"She's okay, Sakura, but Itachi will double check for me. Relax," he whispered, and strode through the doors of the infirmary.

" _No_ ," Sakura practically shouted, eyes wide. "What are you think—"

" _Sakura_ ," Pain gently interrupted, laying her down on one of the beds. They weren't as comfortable as the member beds, but the infirmary beds were comfortable enough. "There's a lot that has happened since you were taken."

 _Were taken._

The words conveyed how much her life had changed. Before, she had always thought of herself as a prisoner. Despite the help that she was receiving from Pain, she was considered a prisoner. A hostage. Not one of the group. She bonded with the group, yes, but she wasn't _one_ of them.

Now?

She didn't know. The past twenty-four hours had been life-changing—and only one aspect of it had been welcomed.

Konan pulled the portable ultrasound over to the bedside and Sakura lifted her shirt. The small, noticeable baby bump was bruised from the fight with Danzo, and Sakura suddenly felt anxious. Had she done enough to protect the baby growing in her belly?

Glancing to Konan, who was busy punching buttons on the machine, Sakura switched her gaze to Pain and could have melted right then and there. His eyes, glued to her stomach, were soft and filled with emotion that she had never witnessed before.

Reaching out, Sakura lightly grasped his wrist and brought his hand to her belly. Placing his hand there, he tried to flinch away, but his hand eventually relaxed and smoothed over the bruised baby bump.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered, eyes trained on her belly. Unwavering.

Placing her hand over his, Sakura stared at him. Memorizing his features, and committing them to memory. "I didn't find out until this morning," she replied, nonchalantly, but secretly she chastised herself. How had she not seen the signs?

Pain's eyes snapped to meet her's, and Sakura gave a sheepish grin. "I thought I was gaining stress weight. I always do. I didn't think this was any different."

"How far along are you?" Konan asked, beginning her exam and staring at the screen intently.

"Four months," Sakura whispered, shame filling her voice. God, how _stupid_ could she get?

' _Stop_ ,' Pain said, forcefully, his voice clear in her mind. She glanced at Pain, whose eyes were now unwaveringly trained on her face.

Sakura nodded, slightly, and trained her eyes on the screen along with Konan. She could read an ultrasound just fine, thank you very much.

Sakura's breath caught as the baby came into frame, and the heartbeat could be heard through the speakers of the ultrasound machine. Sakura smiled at the smooth, unaffected beat. After a few more minutes, Konan broke her gaze with the screen—along with Sakura—and smiled.

"Healthy. You did a fine job protecting him from that kick—and the jutstu didn't seem to effect anything. I didn't think it would, but it's better to be safer than sorry."

Sakura nodded, and smiled, placing her hand on her belly next to Pain's. His fingers brushed against hers, and she glanced to him.

Relief mingled with shock, and Sakura couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "I think this is the most emotion I've seen on your face at one time."

"Really?" Konan asked, eye brow raised with a mischievous smile gracing her lips. "Not even when you two—"

"Don't even," Sakura interrupted, snapping, but the grin remained.

Wiping the gel from her belly, Sakura threw her shirt back down and sat up. Pain flinched forward, as if to stop her, but Sakura merely gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm fine, Pain," she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and jumping down. Well, that was a mistake, because the headrush that overtook her was immense. Her vision blacked, and Pain caught her as her legs gave out.

"No," Pain replied, holding onto her tightly. "You're not."

Sakura waved a dismissive hand as she leaned back against the bed and into Pain.

"I will be," she whispered, a cough catching in her throat.

"She's lost a lot of blood," Konan interjected, and handed Sakura a bottle of water. "You need to rest, Sakura. For you and the little man."

Pain's grip tightened, and Sakura knew she was outnumbered when it came to a say in her health. Sighing, Sakura blinked and focused on the room that began to steady.

"Not until I see Amaya. I need to see her, and then I can rest," Sakura promised, and met Pain's level stare. "I promise."

Keeping her stare, Pain shook his head. "Deidara is taking her to the main headquarters where her room and things are. She'll be safe there, Sakura. We've heightened the security, and we've hidden the base underneath genjutsu. They won't be able to find it again. Right now, you need to rest."

"Then we go to her," Sakura demanded, and pulled out of Pain's grasp. "Pain, I can't lay here and rest knowing my child is traumatized. She was just attacked—we both were. By our own village. You don't think she'll need her mother right now?"

"Sakura," Pain growled, and his eyes narrowed. "She is safe. She is unharmed. You, on the other had, have lost a good percent of your blood. You are carrying my child in your womb, and the more you begin to stress yourself the more my child—our child—will suffer. If you take the journey to the other base now you'll hurt yourself and him."

Sakura remained quiet, wanting badly to have a comeback to his logic, but she had nothing. She wouldn't risk undue stress to the baby growing inside of her, not now.

"You will stay here," Pain commanded, stepping up to Sakura, taking her face between his hands, and bending to kiss her lips gently. When he pulled away, it was too soon. But they had an audience, and Sakura wasn't about to release the pent up emotion she felt for Pain here and now. "You will stay safe, stay low, and recover enough until we can make the journey undetected. I promise you that."

Sakura nodded. His promise was enough—for now.

"Can I please lay down?" Sakura asked, and Pain nodded. As he turned to grab her a blanket, Sakura shook her head in protest. "No, not here. With you. In your room. Please."

Pain hesitated, looked to Konan, who nodded her consent.

"She'll be okay away from the monitor, Pain," Konan comforted, realizing that Sakura was going to have one concerned and involved father on her hands. "I'll let the others know the plan and what's going on. Go rest with her."

Sakura smiled, slightly, and held onto Pain's arm as they made their way out of the infirmary and out into the long corridor to Pain's bedroom.

The walk was long, and by the time they reached Pain's bedroom Sakura was huffing her protest. Pain opened the door, but before Sakura could take a step forward Pain had scooped her up into his arms.

"Wha-?" Sakura protested, but Pain hushed her with an intense, involved kiss. Something sparked in Sakura, and she didn't protest further. Kicking the door shut behind him, Pain swiftly made his way to the large, four post bed and gently laid the mother of his child down.

The kiss was deep, it was involved, and it was full of regret. Of emotions shared not only physically, but mentally as well. The kaleidoscope of emotion flowing through Sakura's mind was blissful, and her heightened senses allowed her to feel every bit of Pain. His body, his emotions, him.

It didn't need to be said between them—nothing did. With the link between them, their emotions were shared and melded to become one in the same.

Leaning back, Pain stripped himself of his shirt and fell back to lean over Sakura. Gently kissing her lips, her jaw, and then the crook of her neck, he then stripped her of her own bloody shirt and threw it to the floor. Sakura shivered as their skin met, and she allowed him to slowly strip her down to her bare skin. Stripping away the bloody residue of the betrayal, the loss, and the shock.

Right now, Sakura couldn't comprehend anything but Pain. His scent engulfed her, and his bare form soon leaned over top of her—kissing, caressing, and loving her. They didn't make love, but they didn't need to. Having his body against hers was enough for now, and it was enough comfort for Sakura to push reality away.

Tomorrow, she could allow herself to worry about what the events of today would mean. Tomorrow, she could allow herself to figure out what all of this meant. But today, tonight, now… Sakura allowed herself to feel this. To feel him over top of her, sliding down her to caress, kiss, and love the belly where his child was slowly growing.

She met his gaze, and the love that he held in his eyes in that moment could never be matched. He would never show that much emotion again—to anybody but she and their children.

Moving up her body, Pain pulled the sheets and blankets up over them and laid his head against her chest.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he murmured, his voice wavering ever so slightly. "I can't go through that again, Sakura. I thought I had lost you before, and then again tonight. I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

"Love me," Sakura whispered, and caressed his orange locks. "That's all you can do, because I'm a free spirit not willing to be tamed, Pain. Ever."

Smiling against her skin, he placed a few strategic kisses to her breasts and collarbone. "I know. And I love you all the more for it."

* * *

Hello everyone! I am SO sorry for the REALLY, REALLY late update! I hope it lived up to expectation! A lot has been going on in my life, so it feels really good to be back into the groove of writing!

Please let me know what you thought of the chapter! Love you guys, you all keep me going and writing when I lose my train of thought. Please review, because it really helps to motivate me.

REVIEW! 3

Thanks, everyone!

~Adoration


	14. Here For You

_"We'll be passing by,_  
 _And they'll be wasting time,_  
 _Just waiting for new,_  
 _And while they're chasing darks,_  
 _We'll be dancing in the dusk,_  
 _'Cause we're coming through,_  
 _Whenever you need me I'm behind,_  
 _And I promise to take you off to the heights._

 _When you feel you've had enough, and you wasted all your love,_  
 _I'll be here for you, here for you,_  
 _When the dog is at his bone, and you run away from home,_  
 _I'll be here for you, here for you."_

 _-Here for you by Kygo (ft. Ella Henderson)_

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

"Amaya is safe," Deidara said, his wavering form cutting in and out. "I'm sorry, Leader. I used much of my chakra getting her to HQ as soon as possible."

Pain nodded, eyes opening. "That's fine, Deidara. Thank you."

Silence ensued, and then Deidara spoke. "She's calm, Pain. Calmer than a seven-year-old should be, I think. She's scared."

"Of course she's scared, dip-shit," Hidan snapped, eyes narrowed towards the blonde. "Her village just turned against her. What would you expect?"

"How is Pinkette, Leader?" Kisame asked as Hidan mumbled on, and then slowly tapered off. He turned, interested in the answer. They all were. Having witnessed Pain transport her here the previous day had been unexpected for them all, including Pain himself. She had been wounded extensively and—no matter what any of them said—they all cared for the pink haired kunoichi and her child.

"She'll live," Pain said, and paused for a moment. He nodded. "She hasn't said anything about what happened. We'll be traveling there soon. Tonight, I think it would be fair to assume. Sakura wants to be with Amaya as soon as possible."

"Understandably," Itachi said, and glanced at Konan.

Pain nodded. "She'll be okay to move, if that what you all are thinking. She and the baby are fine."

The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, and, with Pain's words and confirmation, the tension seemed to ebb away slightly.

Pain couldn't believe the words himself. A child. His child. It was something that had never crossed his mind. Having children had never been a part of the overall plan. But, then again, neither had Sakura. And to have them both back in his possession was even more of a shock. When she had been taken from him, he had been sure she wouldn't return. But, then again, she hadn't returned out of free will, had she? She had fled for her life—and straight into his arms. Allowed him to touch her, to kiss her, to admire the small bump where their child grew…

She had come back to him. Him, and no one else.

"They're fine," he repeated, for the group or himself he didn't know.

"Well, I'll drink to that," Kisame said, flashing his rows of sharp teeth in a wide smile. "Congrats, Boss."

The rest of the group relaxed, and shared similar views.

Pain had to resist to smile.

Closing his eyes, he wondered: What was Sakura doing to him? He was supposed to be the most feared criminal in the world, and he was about to smile in front of his associates. What was _with_ that?

Konan saw the expression, and just laughed which drew attention away from Pain. "Alright, boys. So, we'll see you later on. Be safe, and keep Amaya in good spirits. I'd had to think what a hormonal, pregnant woman might do to one of you if she hears you've upset her child."

And with that the wavering figures faded, leaving Konan and Pain standing there.

There was silence between them, which was normal, but then Konan spoke.

"You're happy, Pain," she stated, coming to stand next to him. "You're about to be a father, you're in love, and you have a woman who will stand through thick and thin with you. And that woman isn't me anymore. Allow yourself all of that, because I know you. It's okay. Go, be with Sakura and enjoy yourself while the rest of the group isn't here to ruin it."

Pain looked at Konan; he really looked at her. She had been his confidant, his childhood friend and savior, and his partner through thick and thin. She was as close to him as Sakura was, yet Konan had always been a sister to him.

"Thank you, Konan," he said, and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "For everything."

Turning, he disappeared through the double doors and into the hallway, leaving Konan to her own musings.

xxxXxxx

Sakura leaned on the railing, the light wind whipping through her long, pink hair. The light lit up of rain clouds, and the rain was beautiful against the fog that was rolling in throughout the city.

It was beautiful, and it brought back memories of when she had first set foot on this balcony. Of when she had first set eyes on Pain, and she was as carefree as she was now. Something about the Rain country now relaxed her soul, no matter the turmoil of thoughts that may be torturing her mind.

But there was turmoil, and anxiety wracked her body. What was going to happen now that she was gone? If she had stayed, then she would have died along with Amaya. But now that she was gone, what would her friends think? What would Danzo say to Lady Tsunade? Because, in all actuality, what Danzo had accused her of was completely true. She was a traitor for loving an S-Class criminal, and that didn't bother Sakura one bit. What did bother her was the persecution of her daughter's abilities. Killing Amaya was outrageous and uncalled for. Ethically and morally wrong. Evil. And that's what Danzo was: evil.

Sakura's love for Pain was true, but the persecution of her daughter was something that Sakura wouldn't stand for. Amaya may be dangerous, but she was learning to control her abilities. She wasn't a danger to the village, and she certainly wasn't the villain that Danzo had made her out to be. Amaya was a girl with abilities beyond her control who needed guidance, much like Naruto had once been. Closing her eyes, Sakura allowed the wind to blow the thoughts away.

She wasn't going home. She couldn't go home. The minute she chose to love Pain, she had chosen a life of exile. That she had brought upon herself. And now, carrying his child, there was nowhere else she wanted to be but with him. Nowhere else she _could_ be. Whether that was on the run, or hidden away by genjutsu, she would remain. Because she would be damned if she allowed anything to affect her children's future. Amaya wasn't happy in Konoha, and neither was Sakura. She simply wished she had realized it sooner.

"Going somewhere?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder to see Pain standing at the foot of his bed—their bed—and motioning to the pack that was half full of her clothes and some weapons. She had been shocked to realize that Pain hadn't touched any of her things—for the most part, she had thought that he was dead. But, he wasn't. And he had missed her. He'd made that clear the previous night, too.

Sakura shrugged. "Aren't we leaving tonight?" Sakura asked, a slight, mischievous smile on her face. _She_ knew that _he_ knew she wouldn't wait any longer. She needed to see Amaya, and needed to make sure her daughter was safe and sound. Both physically and mentally.

Pain cocked an eyebrow, and shrugged. "We could leave tomorrow," he replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice that Sakura was sure she could only detect. "You never know."

" _I never know_ ," Sakura mocked, and turned, leaning back against the railing. The large shirt she wore barely reached to her mid-thigh, and the movement of her arms hiked up the shirt even more. "Am I right?"

Silence.

"Yes, we're leaving tonight," Pain finally said, and strode towards her in a few strides. "How are you feeling?"

"Truth?" Sakura asked, sighing. She ran her hands through her hair, and reveled in the feeling of being caged against the railing when Pain got closer. "I'm exhausted. I lost a lot of blood, and I'm weak. It's going to be slow going tonight, but I'm going to have to push myself. I just lost everything, Pain, and I'm hurting. I'm in pain—and I'm okay with it."

Pain was silent, ever the good listener as he stroked his hands up and down her sides.

"While I was in Konoha, I was miserable. I thought you were dead. I'd lost you, I'd lost the other members. Konoha never really felt like home once I returned—for me or Amaya. I just wished I'd realized it sooner."

"You had to return," Pain responded, and held a hand up at Sakura's protests. "Hear me. While you were here, you were captured. A prisoner. You were never going to be anything else unless you consciously made the decision for it to be otherwise. Being forced home, it was a blessing in disguise."

"Because now I know," Sakura whispered, placing her hands on his chest.

Pain nodded. "Now you know."

He brought his hand up to brush over her cheek, and cupped her neck. Tilting her head slightly to one side, and then the other, he sighed.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"I'm rubbing off on you," Pain murmured, and lightly twisted the mental bar through the top of her ear.

Sakura grinned. "Those are just the visible ones," Sakura stated proudly, beaming at his notice. Pain's eyebrows shot up, and Sakura laughed. "Calm down. I just have my belly button pierced, and my nipples."

" _And your nipples_ ," Pain echoed, running a hand over his face. "What have I done to you?"

"Oh, you don't like the idea of having something to nibble on?" Sakura teased, and Pain froze. A low growl resonated from his throat, and he eyed her through hooded eyelids.

"Don't tempt me, sunshine. You're just getting your strength back," he growled, and slid the hand cupping her neck up to grip her hair. Twisting her head, Pain's lips crashed against Sakura's and she was lost.

Moments passed, and when they parted it was too soon.

"We're leaving tonight," Sakura breathed, eyes closed as she relished in his scent. His breath—mint and cinnamon—washed over her face, and his forehead leaned against hers.

"Yes."

"Alright, let me rest so I won't be too much of a burden."

Pain's arms hugged her closer to him, burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Never say that," he whispered. "You will never be a burden—you are a gift. You _and_ our son."

Sakura smiled, and for the first time since she had stepped out onto the balcony felt at peace. Everything would work out—it just would.

xxxXxxx

Landing on the branch, Sakura leaned against the trunk and braced herself with both hands. She should have known she wouldn't have had her full strength to make the journey—yet she did it anyway. And now she had to answer for her mistakes.

Pain appeared next to her, and then Konan.

"Sakura…" Konan started, and Sakura held up her hand.

"I know," Sakura said, and focused on her breathing. Closing her eyes, Sakura felt the blood pounding in her ears. "I know."

Suddenly, Sakura felt herself sway. Her eyes snapped open as Pain reached out to steady her, and his expression was none-too-happy.

Konan remained silent, and Sakura merely scowled through the exhaustion. "Don't give me that look."

"I will," Pain snapped, and lifted her bridal-style into his arms.

"Pain—" Sakura started, but his quick look silenced her.

"The compound is only a mile away. Don't complain," he murmured through clenched teeth.

She really was a burden, wasn't she?

The thought ran through Sakura's mind as she was carried through the trees beside Konan.

The mile went by in silence, and seemed to be over in a matter of seconds. Just as the thunder clapped above them, the compound came into view. One moment there was a dense clump of trees, and then the large compound was there. Tall, safe, and home.

Pain hadn't been kidding when he had said they had shrouded it in genjutsu. Even Sakura, with her keen sense for genjutsu, hadn't suspected they had been traveling through a veil.

As they neared the entrance, Sakura's stomach continually flipped and filled with butterflies. She hadn't seen the other members since her birthday—since she had disappeared. Were they going to welcome her back with open arms, or view her as the prisoner who escaped? Pain certainly didn't view her that way, and Konan had been nothing but helpful. Would the other members be so open-hearted?

The door to the large compound swung open, and Deidara stood there with a wide smile on his face. Suddenly, the smile dampened when his eyes landed on Sakura. He crossed his arms.

"I thought she was supposed to be healthy enough to travel. She looks like death," Deidara scowled.

Sakura, shocked at Deidara's outburst, pushed against Pain. Gently, he set her on her feet. Wobbly, and a little dizzy, Sakura put her hands on her hips. "I do not. See?" she croaked, and sighed as her voice cracked. Well, damn.

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Very effective example, Sakura."

It was Sakura's turn to scowl.

Deidara held his arms out, and gave a toothy grin. "You know you love me."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura stepped into the hug that Deidara was offering. Tightly wrapping her arms around the blonde man, Sakura hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Missed you, Pink," Deidara murmured, and released Sakura when she pulled away.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered, eyes suddenly glazed over and very somber. "Thank you so much."

Deidara's expression was shocked, and then softened. He didn't say anything, only nodded.

Pain wrapped an arm around Sakura's waist and helped her through the doorway to the large foyer. The compound served as their main Head Quarters, as well as where most of their official meetings were held with outside sources. It was the nicest of the compounds, and the least shabby. A cross between a very nice hotel, an old Victorian mansion, and military center, it was Sakura's favorite base of them all.

Their footsteps echoed through the large foyer, Deidara's hushed voice mixed with Konan's echoing through the hall. Although Sakura couldn't make out what they were saying, she knew they were there.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked, as she was led past the large double staircase, one on each side of the room that led to the balcony above. Shouldn't they be going upstairs, to Amaya's room?

"You'll see," Pain murmured, and held onto her hip with a firm yet gentle grip.

Pursing her lips, Sakura sighed and hobbled underneath the large double staircase towards the kitchen. The intricate carvings on the staircase always managed to take her breath away, and when she found out Sasori had done it she had demanded proof. When he managed to show her his workshop, she had been dumbfounded. Skeptical at first, she had never expected someone who appeared so young to be talented. But then, Sakura shouldn't have doubted him at all, because she hated when people doubted her based on appearances.

Hobbling up to the doorway, Sakura braced herself and took a deep breath. She was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was see Amaya and then rest. What the _hell_ was Pain bringing her to the kitchen—

"Pink's here!" shouted Kisame.

Chairs screeched backwards, people stood, and every member of the Akatsuki stepped to greet her. Most had smiles, others had looks of somber understanding, but when Sakura met their gazes she was shocked. Not only had she expected none of them to care, she hadn't expected them to be waiting late at night for their arrival. Or was it early morning? Either way, Sakura stared and was silent to their greetings.

Something dripped down Sakura's cheeks, and Kisame's large smile dampened slightly. "Ah, Pink."

Sakura quickly wiped away the tears, but they kept coming. She couldn't control the emotions swirling around inside of her all of a sudden, and everything was suddenly becoming a jumbled mess. Pain brought his other hand up to swipe the hair from her face.

"I'm sorry," she voiced eventually, trying to pull herself together and failing. "It's just… I never realized how much I missed you all."

And it was true. _God_ , she was happy to see them all. Safe and sound, too. She had worried about Pain while she was away, but she had also worried about the friends she had made too. These S-class criminals had become her friends, and, now, she had no qualms about it.

Kisame's sharp smile returned, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "I think I speak for us all when I say we missed you too, Pink."

Sakura wrapped her arms around the large, shark-like man, and laughed. _Really_ laughed. He lifted her up, spun her around, and set her down away from Pain. When she looked up, the rest of the group had stepped forward to give her various versions of hugs and greetings. Even Itachi, who had lingered in the back, gave her a lingering embrace.

"Look, Sakura, look! Deidara made you a—"

Suddenly, a wooden spoon smacked into Tobi's head from across the room.

"Look, stupid! I was supposed to reveal my masterpiece!" Deidara growled, and then smiled at Sakura. "I made you a welcome back cake, Sakura."

"And cookies," Kisame cut in.

Tobi jumped up, and pipped in, "And brownies!"

Deidara looked sheepish, and Sakura almost started crying again. Damn hormones. They were going to be the death of her.

"Looks like I rubbed off on you while I was here," Sakura stated, and Deidara rubbed the back of his head as he nodded.

"Maybe just a little," he replied, and then held his hand out. "Try one, yeah?"

Sakura was already ahead of him. Picking up a brownie, she bit into the morsel and almost swooned at how delicious they were. "Did you put orange extract in the batter?" Sakura asked, eyes widening when Deidara nodded. "These are friggin' fantastic, Dei!"

"Momma!"

Sakura froze, and then spun towards the doorway where Pain was standing with Amaya. If Sakura had a camera, she might have taken a picture of him at that moment. His eyes were trained at the small girl to his right, and he looked at her with the most caring, concerned look Sakura had ever seen him give to another being. Sakura knew he genuinely cared for the girl, but it still took her breath away to see it so engraved in his expression.

"Amaya," Sakura breathed, and dropped to her knees as Amaya ran into her arms. The force knocked Sakura back, and she had to grab onto the counter to try and stay upright on her knees.

"Careful, baby," Sakura reminded her daughter as she pressed up against her ever growing belly. Amaya only hugged her mother, arms tight around Sakura's neck. Another sore spot, but Sakura would always forgive her daughter. Now, all she wanted to do was hug her daughter and make sure she was okay.

"What happened, Momma?" Amaya suddenly asked, hand tracing the angry red mark at her neck. The wound was healing, and would heal without a scar, but for now it would remain angry and red and irritated.

Sakura brushed Amaya's hair back, and kissed her daughters forehead. "We'll talk about it soon, baby, okay?"

Amaya nodded, and took the cookie that Deidara offered her. "How's brother?" Amaya whispered in that child-like whisper that wasn't really a whisper.

Sakura chuckled, as did those who heard Amaya. "He's perfectly fine," Sakura reassured her daughter, and kissed her head one more time before standing.

"By the way," Sasori interjected, holding his hand up. "I think congratulations are in order for the pair of you." He motioned to Pain and Sakura, and smiled.

A round of congratulations rose up, and Sakura's cheeks got red. She looked to Pain, who looked at his group of comrades as if he wanted to silence them immediately. Sakura giggled, and his eyes immediately shot towards her and softened.

"Thanks, guys," she said, and suddenly wavered where she stood. Sakura blinked a couple times as her vision went black, and then faded back into light.

Kisame's hands quickly went out to steady her, and he looked at his Leader in concern.

"You need rest," Pain said, and strode in to pick her up. Sakura waved her hands, and took a step back.

"I can walk. Don't you dare carry me again," Sakura snapped, and glared at her significant other.

Kisame snorted.

Pain glared.

Members laughed.

It was fun. Really.

At least, it was fun until Sakura had to lean against the counter and the whole world went black.

Pain caught Sakura gently, arms wrapping around her torso and under her knees. If Sakura would have been conscious, she would have seen the desperation in his eyes that the other members missed. She would have seen his desperation to take her past, present, and future pain away.

"Mom!" Amaya shouted, and Kisame gently picked Sakura's child up.

"Kisame, will you—" Pain started, his voice steady.

"No worries, boss," Kisame interjected, nodding to his leader.

Pain glanced around at the other members, and they nodded somberly. Sakura would be all of their responsibility, and Pain saw that in their faces. Not that they were forced to feel that way, but they wanted to help take care of her. Of Amaya, too.

They would be here for her, Pain most of all.

* * *

Sorry for the very late update! I've been so busy with the outside world. I also realize the chapter is very short, and for that I apologize. Thank you all for loving this story and remaining with me through thick and thin!

Please REVIEW! Let me know what you think, because it brightens my day to hear what my readers think! Any suggestions, too, are welcome on what you'd like to see happen.

Anyways, REVIEW! Enjoy life! Hug your local Akatsuki. Eat some brownies.

~Adoration


	15. You Don't Own Me

_"You don't own me,_  
 _Don't try to change me in any way,_  
 _You don't own me,_  
 _Don't tie me down cause I'd never stay._

 _I don't tell you what to say,_  
 _I don't tell you what to do,_  
 _So just let me be myself,_  
 _That's all I ask of you,_  
 _I'm young and I love to be young,_  
 _And I'm free and I love to be free,_  
 _To live my life the way I want,_  
 _To say and do whatever I please."_

 _~You Don't Own Me, Grace ft. G-Eazy_

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

 _One Month Later…_

Sakura's eyes fluttered as the rustling in the room stirred her from her sleep, and she lifted her head slightly to peer to the other side of the bed. Pain was absent, and his cloak wasn't on the chair beside his side of the bed.

Rolling over, Sakura's sight landed on Pain's naked torso and shinobi pants clad bottom half. He was running his hands through his hair, which surprisingly straightened it out, before he reached for his shirt in their closet.

"Pain," Sakura murmured, and his gaze suddenly met hers.

The hard expression that had defined his features softened ever so slightly, and he melted slightly.

"I'm sorry if I woke you, princess," he murmured, and made his way over to the bed.

Sakura ran a hand over her face, swiping the hair out of her face before he could, and she leaned up on her arm. Shaking her head, she rubbed her eyes. "No, it's okay. What's going on?"

Normally, Sakura woke up to an empty bed. But something seemed different about him this morning; his aura seemed troubled, and he seemed more… distant.

Pain cocked his head, like he knew she could sense his foul mood, and shook his head slightly. "Nothing, sunshine. Go back to sleep. I've got work to do."

Sakura blinked and shook her head.

"No, I'm awake now," she said, and sat all the way up. She would never be able to sleep without him here with her. Normally she would lay in bed for an extra hour and relax, but today seemed different. Today she felt the need to be by his side, even as pregnant as she was.

"Sakura, relax. Please," Pain insisted, but Sakura shook her head.

"No," she stated, and stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, very mature," Pain snorted, and stood so Sakura could swing her feet over the side of the large king, four poster bed.

Placing both hands on her beach-ball-esque stomach, Sakura let out a long breath. Honestly, all she wanted to do was lay back and relax for a little more time. But the day didn't start until she was up, dressed, and moving around. The last thing she wanted was bloated ankles and a massive sleep headache.

Standing, Sakura had one hand on the bed pushing her up and another on her stomach. Her beach ball didn't make her look fat, just very pregnant. With Amaya, she gained her pregnancy weight fast. With the present little guy, it seemed like she couldn't gain weight even if she ate a whole pan of brownies in one sitting. Which had happened on multiple occasions.

Pain grimaced, and stood to hold onto Sakura. "I wish you would rest today. You've been doing so much. I don't want you to strain yourself, especially with you being so close."

Sakura, again, waved him off. "No. Today you promised I could sit in on the meeting," Sakura reminded him. "As a member."

"I was hoping you forgot so that you would rest today."

Sakura shook her head, and waddled, for lack of a better word, over to her dresser. "You should know me better than that, Pain. Much better."

Pain sighed. "I know. I do. But I was hoping."

Pulling on a pair of black leggings and a red shirt, Sakura grabbed her cloak from the closet and turned.

"I know I should look better, but I—"

Pain leaned against the bed post and waved a hand. "Sakura, you could get away with wearing nothing—" he paused, reassessed his words, cleared his throat, and then continued, "No. No you couldn't. You're fine the way you are."

Sakura giggled and rolled her eyes. Waltzing through the doorway, into the hallway, and towards the large kitchen for breakfast, she thought that maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

xxxXxxx

The meeting room wasn't large. Not unlike a standard meeting room, with a long table and many chairs, Sakura wasn't very impressed. But Kisame kindly informed her that the large, cavernous space that they used for long distance meetings was only ever used for meetings with outside sources. Otherwise, the room remained untouched. Sakura was also very aware that the large statue held the tailed-beasts that they had captured, and that death had seen that room.

It bothered her. It really did.

This group had hunted her friends for so long, and so ruthlessly, that she wasn't so sure that they would stop just because she was part of the group. It was something that Sakura planned to be paying attention to in the meeting today.

The other members were slowly trickling in from the double doors Sakura had entered through. Itachi, Kisame, and Zetsu were already in the room, but the other members were slowly making their way here. She was sure no one would be late. Pain may be lenient with his members, but he didn't tolerate lateness nor absence.

Leaning back in her chair, it was strange to attend her first meeting after being with them for so long. Free or captured, it made no difference to Sakura. She still felt like she should be their prisoner some days, and others she felt that she was their leader's significant other. Girlfriend didn't portray what she was; girlfriend was too childish. 'Significant other' would do for all intents and purposes.

It was also very apparent that the more pregnant she became, and the more her belly began to show, the more the other members began to treat her differently. Whether it be with fondness, careful actions, like she was a delicate flower, or something performing a strange activity twenty-four-seven, Sakura didn't know how to handle being treated differently. She was already different from the rest of the group, so to be treated even more different was a bit of an oddity.

Being pregnant had its upsides and downsides. The upsides were that Pain was much more lenient towards her when it came to working around the base, and that Deidara and the rest of the group felt it was their duty to cook her food whenever she wasn't shooing them out of the kitchen. The downsides, though, were the fact that she was sick very often, the group decided that it was their duty to treat her like a delicate flower, and Pain was as overprotective as ever. Normally, it wouldn't effect Sakura to deal with his overprotective nature. But she was pregnant, and now she had another life to worry about, too.

If she didn't listen to him, and something were to happen, she would never forgive herself.

"Hey," Deidara said, his long hair pulled into a low bun at the back of his neck. He smiled, and nudged her shoulder. "How are you doing today?"

Deidara had been there yesterday to hold her ever growing hair back when Pain had been held up with a couple of outside sources in a meeting. It had been humiliating to be sick in front of another member, but Deidara was also one of her closest friends here besides Konan. Now that he had held her hair, it seemed that he and Konan _were_ her best friends now.

"I'm okay," she whispered, and returned the smile. "Hopefully I'll stay that way."

"I hope so, too," he said, and motioned to the folders in front of them. "Welcome to your first official meeting."

Sakura giggled slightly, happily, and ran a delicate hand over the folder that held their meeting agenda's. "I know."

"They're not that special, you know. Very boring, actually," Deidara said, leaning back in the swivel chairs they had. "More like meetings where we make requests, go over missions, and make sure everyone is getting along well."

"Still," Sakura said, and crossed her arms atop her swollen belly. "I'm just excited to be a part of something again, you know?"

Deidara, taken aback slightly, allowed his surprised expression to soften slightly. "Sakura…"

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, and Deidara waved his hand.

"Don't apologize to me. You're the one who won't talk about anything, my dear."

Sakura's face fell, and the sorrow she felt leaked through ever so slightly. The room quieted ever so, and Sakura looked around. The other members were all glancing in their direction, and she quickly locked those feelings away.

"I'm fine," she said, and not just for Deidara's sake. The room slowly resumed its normal chatter, and Sakura suddenly began to feel alienated once more. But, determined not to let the slip up destroy her elation, she pushed it aside and smiled at Deidara.

She knew that she should speak to someone about what happened to her and Amaya, but the wounds were still too fresh. Losing everything… it was too much to bear, and if Sakura let all of her emotions out at once she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to lock them back up again.

The doors to the meeting room shut, suddenly, and Pain stood there with Konan at his side. Catching Sakura's eye, Konan smiled, and found her seat.

"Morning, everyone," Pain greeted.

"Morning," Sakura, amongst the others, greeted.

"As you can see, we have a new member joining us this morning. Sakura, welcome," Pain greeted, and smiled to his significant other. The smile that made her knees go weak, and he only gifted it to her.

"Welcome to a life of boring meetings and uneventful missions," Kisame grumbled, and the group mumbled their laughter.

"Thank you," she replied to everyone, hiding a laugh, and returned a warm smile to Pain.

"Well, let's get to business shall we?" Pain commented, eyeing his members, and letting the comment slide.

Opening his mouth to speak, Pain was cut off when the meeting door cracked open and a meek looking, lower ranking member poked his head inside.

There were other members apart of the Akatsuki. Informants, spies, people to achieve missions and gain money for the cause. The main headquarters, of which they were inside of, housed many of those for safety purposes. Most also lived on their own as well and led their own lives.

"Sir, I apologize, but I have news," the brown haired shinobi spoke, and glanced at Sakura. "From Konoha, sir."

All heads turned to the informant, but Sakura felt a few eyes lingering on her. With careful control, her expression remained delicate and interested, but not overtly so.

Pain motioned for the shinobi to enter, who then handed a scroll to his leader. Promptly exiting, the shinobi was gone just as quick as he had come.

"Well?" Itachi spoke, his eyes narrowed.

Pain glanced to Sakura, and then back to the parchment in his hands. "There's a plea," Pain started, overlooking the parchment one more time before putting it down before him on the table. "From an Iona Rinata."

Sakura sucked in a low breath, and ten pairs of eyes swung to meet her. Sakura swallowed. Guess there was no hiding it now.

"What has she been charged with?" Sakura asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Pain was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Having knowledge of your betrayal and failing to report to the Hokage. She's been labeled a traitor. This note was written in hopes that we may be able to take her in and shelter her."

"It wasn't written by her?" Sakura asked, blinking.

"No," Pain said, and glanced to Itachi. "Sasuke Uchiha asks this favor of us."

The room was silent as death.

"Well," Kisame started, shifting in his seat. "This just got interesting."

xxxXxxx

"This shouldn't even be a debate, Pain," Sakura spoke, trying very hard to keep calm as the group debated whether Ilona would live or die. "I vouch for her. Isn't that enough?"

"No," Pain said simply, and the simple answer enraged Sakura.

"And why the hell not?" Sakura shouted, hand slamming down on the table. Deidara jumped next to her at the outburst. Sakura had been nothing but civil with the group, save for the few sparring sessions in the beginning of her stay with them. Shouting had never come into play. Anger had never come into play, at least not for them to see.

"Sakura, be reasonable. If we took in every stray along the way, we wouldn't be as strong as we are now."

"You took me in."

"That was different. I knew you; I knew you and Amaya would be an asset to the group in the long run."

His words not only disturbed her, but set her even more on edge. What the hell was that supposed to mean? So, he had intended in using them.

"So, you had intended to use my daughter for your evil deeds," Sakura snapped, and Hidan stifled laughter. A quick, icy glare set him in silence, though, from both Sakura and Pain.

"That is not what I meant, Sakura, and you know it," Pain said, voice steadily becoming unhinged by the moment. It wasn't often that Pain lost his temper or patience, but when he did… Sakura had never seen him but cool, calm, and collected.

It would be a sight if she could rile him up enough.

"No, apparently I don't know it."

"Sakura, stop—"

"No, I won't. What does everyone else think? You may be the leader, but you don't speak for them."

Silence.

The other members all looked to each other, before Itachi spoke up.

"What can she bring to the group, Sakura? As Pain said, we can't afford to take in strays, not that Ilona is a stray by any means. What can she offer to us that we don't already have?" Itachi was calm, and Pain's jaw ticked at the small outburst in the silence. It was clear he hadn't expected any of the members to speak up.

"She's an excellent surgeon. The best in her field. She specializes in OBGYN, but can operate on anything. Bring her here and not only will Konan and I have someone that understands our anatomy, then your very pregnant other will have someone on hand in case anything happens. Did you ever even think of any situation where this pregnancy went south? What would happen if I couldn't see someone immediately?"

"Yes, Sakura, I have. And don't presume to think I haven't," Pain snapped, resolve gone. His face was contorted in anger. His hands gripped the table, eyes closed in an effort to contain himself. "How dare you think otherwise. And how dare you think I don't care for you, for one second."

The room was silent again, as everyone took in the outburst, especially Sakura.

"Since you have taken it upon yourself to involve the group, which I would have eventually done without needing your assistance, what do they say?"

Sakura flinched, his gaze unrelenting towards her. Sakura met his gaze, though, and then looked around.

"I know it's not my fucking forte, but I think it would be smart to have the damn kunoichi here on probation," Hidan stated, his foul mouth making Sakura want to duct tape his mouth shut. Just for a moment to prove a point.

Itachi nodded. "We've done it before for special cases, and we do need an excellent surgeon on board. If we're going to be taking on harder missions, there's no telling what medical help we may be in need up."

"Agreed. And Sakura's health is top priority for me too, Pain, as a fellow member and friend," Deidara said, and the group all nodded their consent.

Pain closed his eyes then, and nodded. "It is decided then. You are all dismissed. We'll regroup tonight in order to discuss this further, among other things. For now, I need to speak with our new member."

Sakura swallowed, but remained strong in front of the other members. Refusing to look away from Pain, Sakura crossed her arms over her pregnant belly and set her jaw in place.

The other members all retreated, Deidara and Konan giving Sakura hopeful looks over Pain's shoulders. Sakura smiled slightly, though, allowing them to see the small amount of confidence she held, and they retreated as well.

"Pain—"

" _Do not speak_ ," he hissed, his temper flaring into his ringed eyes. Sakura swallowed, and closed her gaping mouth. He had never spoken to her in such… malice.

He stood, the chair falling backwards behind him. Sakura flinched, but remained seated. "You dare speak to me like a child in front of my members. You are new here. Your membership is on the fence, because I don't have to include you in this. I don't have to put your life on the line. I could drop you in a house somewhere, and leave you to handle things on your own. But no, I gave you this and you dare treat me with disrespect."

"Me? Treat you with disrespect? How dare _you_ not let me speak, or any of your members! How dare _you_!" Sakura shouted, then. "Ilona kept this secret. She knew about the baby, and she was compromised somehow. She kept this secret, kept me safe for as long as she could, kept our child safe, and you spit on her request like some high and mighty asshole!"

Sakura wanted to smack herself for using profanity, much like she had wanted to do to Hidan, but he made her so… so… _angry_.

"You will not speak to me like that in front of the other members again. You will not defy me," Pain hissed, tone soft yet full of finality.

"I can speak to you however I see fit. You didn't even entertain the idea, Pain, and that hurt me. If you hurt me, I have the right to try and express myself. You don't own me, and never will."

Pain was around the table without a moment's notice. He held Sakura's chin between his index and thumb, ripping her gaze up to his. She met his gaze with anger, shock, and disapproval in her eyes.

"I do own you. You belong to me, whether you like it or not. You are a member of my organization, and you carry my child in your womb. You are mine, Sakura, and you better get used to the idea."

Sakura spat in his face, and when he released her she scrambled back out of the chair while almost tripping.

She turned to flee the room, but Pain had a firm grip on her wrist. "Sakura!"

Pulling her roughly back to him, Sakura cried out and lifted her hand to defend herself. Slapping him across the cheek, he released her and stared at her in a moment of shock.

Sakura, out of breath and in shock, stared at him with a rage of her own. "You don't own me, Pain, and you never will." Turning, she fled the room, leaving Pain in silence.

xxxXxxx

The light breeze whipped up through her hair, lightly tossing the long locks into her face. She was pushing them away, momentarily blinded, when a hand lightly pulled the hair from her face and gently pulled the rest of her hair into his grip.

Sakura jumped, only a little, before meeting Itachi's red, piercing sharingan. Their eyes met for a long moment, sharingan and jade green, before Sakura felt tears cascading down her cheeks again.

The sharingan melted away, only to be replaced by the dark onyx black that both Uchiha men seemed to have in common. Kneeling behind her, he gently pulled his hands through her hair and separated the pieces into three long strands.

He was silent, but his calm washed over Sakura to try and stem her tears.

"Thank you," Sakura eventually whispered, staring straight ahead as Itachi began to braid her hair. "For speaking up for me in there."

"It needed to be asked and said," Itachi said. His hands were magical, running through her hair and gently pulling at her hair.

"Still, thank you," Sakura said, and sighed.

Itachi was silent for a moment, before he spoke. Sakura hadn't expected him to speak, but he did, and Sakura was intent on the words. "I sent Sasuke back to help you. In Konoha. I knew you would have trouble returning after your stay with us."

Sakura was stunned into silence. "You… Y-you what?" she sputtered, and tried to turn and look at him.

He held her hair firm in his grip, the braid only half way finished.

"Stay still," he commanded, and Sakura obeyed. "Sakura, you have to understand you're not the only one Konoha has wronged. How angry are you with the leaf?"

Sakura huffed, and had to contain the outburst that almost took her. "They're dead to me. For what they did, and what they're doing."

Itachi nodded behind her, and ran his hands over the braid. "You have to understand, Sakura, which things are done for a greater good and which are done in hate."

Sakura turned, then, when Itachi's hands fell from her hair. She met his gaze.

"I did everything for the Leaf," Itachi said, keeping her gaze. "Even kill my own family."

* * *

Hello everybody! Sorry for the really late update-life is getting in the way as usual. I have to adult at times I don't want to adult. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be coming soon, maybe later rather than sooner, and I hope you all are doing well!

REVIEW! Even a few words is encouragement for me!

Thanks everyone for being so faithful to this story!

Best,

Adoration


	16. Do It Now

_"Silence is my worst, silence is my worst, my worst enemy,_  
 _All I do is just, all I do is just revisit this memory._

 _Cause you can't take back what you didn't say,_  
 _If I could do it now, do it now, I would do it now,_  
 _Cause you can't break promises you never made,_  
 _If I could do it now, do it now, I would do it now._

 _Oh, put your best suit on and carry on now,_  
 _Oh, don't be fooled by how your life has turned out,_  
 _Walking around in circles all day,_  
 _Keeping your videos on replay,_  
 _People will go, but feelings, they stay,_  
 _Oh, if I had a second chance at love,_  
 _I would do it now, do it now."_

 _~Do It Now, Jasmine Thompson_

* * *

 _A/N: I had originally planned for this chapter to be called Blackbird Song, because Itachi is talking with Sakura and giving her advice, but the song lyrics didn't really fit. LOL! So it is changed to this, Do It Now. **The original song I used to write this to is Blackbird Song by Lee Dewyze,** which goes **FANTASTIC** with this chapter, but alas. **I recommend listening to it while you read.** Have fun reading!_

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

It wouldn't be the first time Itachi Uchiha had shocked her into silence, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Itachi had always been a silent threat in Sakura's eyes, despite the kindness he had always shown her. The murder of the Uchiha clan had been something she had grown up hearing about in hushed whispers. When she had been placed on Team Seven with Sasuke, the whispers had become even more prominent. The whispers, the rumors, the horror… It had all been so terrible to grow up with. A tragedy.

And Itachi Uchiha was at the center of it all. He had always been the nightmarish figure that had shown up in her nightmares, come to murder the rest of the village as well. She had never thought she would be sitting in the tall grass outside of an Akatsuki base having a conversation with the man. Never had that possibility crossed her mind.

Now, Sakura was most likely going to relive that night with Itachi, and she wasn't so certain she was eager to hear what he had to say. But Itachi never wasted the words he spoke, and, if he was sharing this information with her, his words had to have meaning.

Sakura spun on her knees, leaning back with her hands on her thighs. Meeting his gaze, she settled into her position and swallowed. Preparing.

"Why?" she croaked, and wished her voice was more confident. "I had to grow up with Sasuke. I grew up with him hating you, and I, in turn, hated you. We all did. Why did you do it?"

Itachi smirked— _smirked_ —and stared over Sakura's shoulder into the woods beyond. "I knew you had to feel one way or another towards me. You never showed pure hatred towards me, but still."

Sakura opened her mouth to apologize; she hadn't meant it quite like that… but Itachi held his hand up, and shook his head. "Its fine, Sakura. I understand. I'm the story everyone tells to scare their children at night."

Sakura's mouth shut. Maybe she had meant it like that.

Itachi sat with his legs crossed, his cloak open and blown to the sides to reveal the mesh shirt and shinobi pants he wore underneath.

"I did everything Konoha asked of me—I ran as many missions as I could, completed every single one of them at above average speed, and excelled in anything that I put my mind to. My Father said I was the prodigy of the Uchiha clan. I always hated how he doted on me, because it left Sasuke in the dust when it came to our Father. I knew I was excellent, but that didn't mean everyone else had to point it out as well."

Sakura sat and listened, her ears perking up at the mention of a young Sasuke. Itachi spoke of him with such… Sakura didn't know how to describe it. But she knew one thing: Itachi cared for Sasuke. Deeply.

"I killed my family, because it was the mission at hand. Not because I wanted to, but because it needed to be done. I killed my mentor and best friend to attain the power to do so. My family was planning to overthrow the Leaf, and because of that the burden was placed upon me to see that my village survived. I can't say I never hated the Leaf for what I had to do, but I knew it was what had to be done to protect my village, Sakura."

Sakura was silent for a moment before speaking. "Your family was planning to overthrow the Leaf?" she asked, rhetorically, because he had already said so. "Why would they do that?"

"Power can corrupt even the best of men, Sakura. My family thought that the Uchiha clan needed more power, despite being head of the police force already. Their greed brought about their downfall, and I was the only one who could do it. My mission wasn't simple—it was complex and hard to execute. I knew I would be a rogue—the rest of the village had to perceive it has a massacre of a deranged child. Not the killing of traitors of the Leaf."

"But why? It would have been so much easier to know the truth!" Sakura shouted, mind whirling as Itachi's words swirled around in her mind.

"Sometimes the truth is too hard to bear, Sakura. Some would have seen the massacre as the Leaf having too much power. It had to be done this way, and I've carried this burden for my entire life. I tell you this not because I want you to hate the Leaf, but I want you to understand that a traitor isn't tolerated in the Leaf. Traitors are taken care of."

"Danzo," Sakura whispered. "And me."

"Listen to my words, Sakura. I did not mean they are solely taken care of in the worst way possible. I visited the village, and Danzo knew that I was watching him. There were those who knew the truth, the elders, and made sure that I could escape just in time to avoid the ANBU Black Ops. Danzo has always been a man out for blood, and he had just gotten more bloodthirsty with time. His greed with be the fall of him, Sakura, just as it was my family."

She couldn't believe it. Itachi had… He had still slain his whole clan, but they had turned their backs on the village and, ultimately, him.

"The village will take care of me," she whispered, and looked up into his black, onyx eyes.

Itachi shook his head. "No, only those who know the truth and will keep it. Know those people, Sakura, and help them understand the truth."

Sakura nodded, and unconsciously rubbed her swollen belly. "Thank you, Itachi," Sakura whispered, eyes closed and heart slightly hardened towards the whole ordeal.

"I know what has happened to you has been terrible, Sakura Haruno, but these choices have been made for you. You must now make them right with _you_. Make them right, and you will be able to live with _yourself_ then."

xxxXxxx

"What happened here?" Itachi asked as he gently took Sakura hand in his own, examining her wrist where Pain had grabbed her. Small bruises dotted her skin there, and the rage in Sakura returned ever so slightly.

"He grabbed me when I turned to walk away," Sakura whispered, and she saw something flash across Itachi's expression. Protectiveness? Anger? She didn't know exactly how to read Itachi Uchiha completely just yet. "Don't worry. He got a pretty angry slap from it. He should know better than to grab me, though."

"Yes," Itachi said, his eyes returning to hers. "He should."

"He was so angry. We've never been that hostile towards each other. I don't know how to handle it," Sakura said, shaking her head as Itachi released her hand and walked side by side with her towards the forest edge.

"How to handle his anger this one time or have there been other times?" Itachi asked, tone level and inquisitive. The man could really be excellent conversation at times.

"Oh, no. This was the first time, and I just don't know how to…to look at him again. He put his hands on me, Itachi, and I won't stand for that. He was so nasty."

"That can be unforgiveable, a man putting his hands on a woman unwantedly," Itachi nodded. "For the record, though, regarding his anger in the first place, you did antagonize him."

"I did not!" Sakura protested, but calmed slightly at Itachi's expression. "Okay, maybe I was a little out of hand. But with good reason. She protected me when I needed it most, Itachi. He can't just shut her out."

"I don't think he was planning on shutting her out completely, Sakura. He needed time to think it through, and you didn't give him that. We trust our Leader explicitly, Sakura, and with good reason. He's intelligent, and knows what is best for the organization. He is soon to be the father of your child. Do you trust him to make executive decisions with your child's life?"

Sakura thought about that, and nodded. "I think I do," she said, and then shook her head. "No. I know I do. He's so excellent with Amaya, I know he'll be a great father to our child."

"Then why is it so hard to allow him to make executive decisions for other's whom you care about?" he asked, and Sakura shook her head.

"I wanted to be included in the decision," Sakura whispered, and shook her head. "And I went about that the wrong way, didn't I?"

Itachi smirked. "We all have a flow in the meetings about when we speak, and when our input is wanted or needed. You just need to find when yours is needed, but I understand yesterday took you by surprise. We have all reacted like that in a meeting or two. I think it struck a nerve that it was you defying him, though, and not another member."

"Yeah, he said something along those lines. But, Itachi, he claimed me. He said I was his, and belonged to him. I don't belong to anyone."

"Well, you may not 'belong' to anyone, but you do belong to him. You are his responsibility, just like he is yours. Do you consider him your significant other?" Itachi asked.

"Yes."

"Then he belongs to you, as well. You have the same claim over him that he has over you," Itachi said, shedding light on a different way to take Pain's words into perspective. "It doesn't make his words any less hurtful, and it doesn't excuse his actions, but understanding his anger is better than fighting it."

"I don't have to apologize for his anger," Sakura said, eyes on her feet. "But I do need to understand why he was angry, and understand my part in it."

Itachi nodded. "We all do it. He doesn't get angry often. He never gets angry, actually. But the fact that he cares for you much more than he cares for one of us—I think you struck a nerve. What that nerve is, I don't know, but don't you think you'd like to know why his anger exploded like it did?"

"I want to know what nerve I struck," Sakura agreed, and looked up at Itachi. "You know, for being so quiet all the time you can certainly have an amazing conversation."

Itachi chuckled— _chuckled_ —and nodded. "Konan says that, as well."

"Oh, Konan says that too? I wonder what kind of conversation's you've been having on that front," Sakura teased, and Itachi shot her a narrowed gaze. "Be good to her."

It took a moment, but that smirk graced his face once more. This time much more delicate and full of fondness. "Always."

xxxXxxx

Sakura slid her hands over her stomach as the water gushed over her body, her long hair finally reaching her swollen stomach. The water was cooling, calming; just what Sakura needed. She hadn't seen Pain for the rest of the day while she roamed the base, did various loads of laundry for various members, and cooked lunch and dinner for everyone who trickled in. Not that she didn't want to lay down and take a nap, or at the very least simply rest. The events of the day were swirling around her head to viciously.

She hated Pain for grabbing her, for speaking to her like that. There was nothing she could do to change it, though, except talk to him about it and ensure that it would never happen again. In the months that she'd known him he had never spoken to her like that. Even when she had been a prisoner in the beginning, testing his patience, she had never been spoken to in such a manner.

" _Don't you want to know why his anger exploded like it did?"_

Itachi's words swirled around her mind.

" _Then he belongs to you, as well. You have the same claim over him that he has over you."_

Did she?

Did she really have a claim over this man—this glorious man—who so far superseded her in every aspect?

If what Itachi had said was true, then she did. And that was a powerfully comforting thought on its own. Sakura had never been claimed. She had never been treated as if she were claimed. It wasn't in her nature to be claimed, to be treated as an object. But maybe Pain hadn't meant for her to be an object. Maybe his claim meant so much more than that.

It didn't excuse his vile actions. Nothing would excuse them. But maybe—just maybe—she could forgive them to move forward. Maybe she could look at him again without seeing that fire in his eyes—that fire of anger and desperation. She had seen a fire in his eyes before, but that fire had been passionate and heat-filled. Fire was dangerous unless one knew how to wield it, and it seemed that Pain had lost himself to his own raging fire momentarily.

Shutting off the hot water, Sakura stepped out of the glass and stone shower and toweled herself off. Her body ached for the spray of hot water once more, but Sakura knew she couldn't hide in the shower for the rest of the night. What she did know was she was going to the meeting tonight, whether she faced Pain or not, and she was going to stand tall as if nothing bothered her. With Itachi's words in mind, though, she was going to tread more lightly when it came to voicing her opinions. She wasn't going to be smothered, and she wasn't going to be silenced altogether. What she _was_ going to do was be respectful to a group who had an established hierarchy and tread very, very lightly.

Wrapping the towel around herself after towel drying her hair, Sakura secured the towel around herself and pulled her hair back into a messy bun at the top of her head.

Opening the door to the bedroom she shared with Pain, Sakura froze. How had he managed to stay hidden all day, and suddenly he was smack dab in the middle of their bedroom?

Pain sat on the foot of their king sized bed, torso bare. The bars that served as his chakra receivers—which Sakura merely called his many piercings—were out in the open for Sakura to take in, and admire much to his liking. She knew that he loved the idea that Sakura found his visual quirk attractive. It was something one didn't see every day in the shinobi world, and Sakura was attracted to him like a fly.

She had to stop herself from jumping him right then and there, because she didn't know where she stood with him just yet. She could be as mad as mad could be with him and she would still find herself drawn in by his attractiveness and powerful silence. So slowly, ever so slowly, she made her way over to him.

His arms rested on his shinobi-pant clad legs, and his head hung low, looking at the floor. It was impossible to see his face from this angle. Approaching him had Sakura's heart racing, because she didn't know whether she was going to be facing the angry flame she'd witnessed earlier or the Pain she had come to know, love, and adore.

Once she stood directly before him, Sakura took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He gently lifted his head, his eyes closed and face somber. Sakura's eyes were trained on his face, but she could feel his hands gently come to rest on her hips. Pulling her closer, between his legs, Pain's head gently rolled until his lips met the towel that separated him from her belly. Placing feather light kisses there, tears gathered in Sakura's eyes.

How could he be so cruel to her?

How could this man— _her man_ —be so cruel to her one moment, and then so gentle and sensitive the next?

How?

"Because," Pain said, and Sakura hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud.

Blinking, tears fell down her lightly flushed cheeks. "Because what, Pain? Because what you hurt me in a way I have never been hurt before. I won't stand for it, and I think you know that."

Pain nodded, his forehead leaning against her stomach.

"I know, Sakura," he spoke, his face hidden from her once more. When he lifted his head, pain filled his eyes and covered his face. It was something Sakura had never seen before, and she tried to take a step back. His grip held her firm.

She knew in that moment that everything that had been said and done had been apologized for in that one emotional expression. She could stay mad at him, run away and never look back, but what good would that do? Those actions were for someone who was in physical danger, and Sakura was in no danger near Pain. None whatsoever, but that didn't change how she had felt earlier.

Sakura raised her hands to cup his face, her thumbs running light circles over his cheek bones.

"You are mine," Sakura whispered, finger's moving ever so slowly over his warm, tanned skin. "And because you are mine, you are my responsibility. Your actions are my actions, and your words are my words. You are mine, and I am yours, and I am sorry for not understanding that sooner."

Pain's jaw set suddenly, and his hands gripped her hips in a tight hold. "Yes," he whispered, eyes closing for only a moment before she opened back up with heat and fire in them. The heat and fire that Sakura knew she was safe with. "I am yours, and you are mine."

He didn't have to verbally apologize, because she knew him. She'd been around him long enough to understand the pain was his guilt showing through.

"I hurt you," he whispered.

"I know," she replied.

"I am responsible for you. I failed you. And for that—" he continued, but Sakura silenced him with a tender kiss. His lips were soft, and filled with the tempered heat that had filled his eyes.

"I know," she whispered against his lips, and Sakura leaned into him.

She knew what nerve she had plucked. It had been a nerve so raw he probably had never had to feel it in this lifetime.

She had been his, and to show something of his to his fellow comrades that was so private, so precious, so fragile, must have been difficult. Very difficult. She was so vulnerable, and even though the members wouldn't hurt or harm her she was still his vulnerability. He was giving away his only vulnerable spot, and that was hard enough without her trying to push him into decisions he had to make on his own for the good of the group.

She was his vulnerability. She was his. And that was hard for him to show to others. But she herself wasn't vulnerable, and he had to know that.

"I'm not weak, Pain," she whispered, eyes closing as her forehead rested against his. "I'm not, and you need to realize I'm an independent woman who needs leeway to make my own decisions. But that doesn't mean I need to make decisions for you."

"I know, Sakura, and I plan to give you that leeway. I do. But not now. I can't. Not with you so fragile. Because if anything her to happen to you…"

A sound so vulnerable and so sad slipped from his throat, and Sakura had to hold his head to her chest. She had to comfort him, and show him that she was fine. That she was here safe and sound.

"Shh," she hushed, having to push away another round of tears. He was so open in this moment that it hurt.

Pain had hurt her, but she had also pushed him to the limits of his control. Something she knew never to do again, but even if she did she knew he could control himself. She knew she would never be put into this position again, because in the moment at hand Pain was realizing what nerve she had pressed as well. And it was a painful sight so see the leader of the Akatsuki, the powerful man she had come to love, her Pain, so vulnerable and full of feeling.

xxxXxxx

She hurt. Bad.

Sitting in her designated chair in the meeting, Pain's voice was pushed to the back of her mind as she clutched the arms of her chair inconspicuously. Deidara sat on one side of her while Itachi had taken up residence on her other side. The change in seating hadn't been really noticed by anyone other than Konan, who most likely knew what had transpired between she and Pain.

Sharp-shooting pain flowered from her lower stomach, branching out all over her body. She sucked in a large breath, breathing out slowly as she hoped to calm the contraction-like pain. The pain would come and go, but it was as if someone had suddenly decided to flip a switch. It wasn't going away now, and Sakura prayed that it would. Because she knew one thing: these were not Braxton Hicks contractions. While she was pregnant with Amaya she had had many scares with Braxton Hicks contractions, but they weren't as painful as real and true labor.

Every nerve in Sakura's lower body was beginning to be set on fire, and Sakura knew in that moment that this delivery wasn't going to last very long. With Amaya her contractions had lasted two hours, but Sakura's contractions had remained far apart until the very end.

Sakura's contractions, now, had already been going on for an hour. She hadn't mentioned this to Pain when they had been napping earlier, due to the fact that she had just assumed they were Braxton Hicks. Now she knew better.

Suddenly, the pain spiked and Sakura's hand flew to her stomach. She wanted to scream. She couldn't sit still any longer in this stupid meeting, despite the fact that the Ilona issue had been settled. Ilona was to be brought to the base the following day, almost immediately, due to how close Sakura was to delivery.

Well. It looks like everyone was in for a surprise.

Suddenly Deidara was there, his hand on Sakura's arm.

"Hey, are you okay? You're really flushed, yeah," he whispered, eyes full of concern.

Sakura licked her lips and nodded. "Yeah," she whispered, managing to swallow despite her dry throat. "I'm fine. I just need to stand for a minute."

Deidara nodded as Sakura stood. She made it to the double doors on the other side of the room, nobody really paying any mind to her departure. They had all gotten up to get water or stretch their legs at some point. Pain was speaking with them about something financial, Sakura picked up, which she should also be clearly concerned with as well, but at the present moment Sakura hardly cared.

Stepping out into the hallway, Sakura leaned against the wall and closed her eyes tight. Hands flat against the wall, she tried to hold herself up against the pain. Maybe if she could just walk it off...

Something gushed down Sakura's leg, and there was a relief in pressure for just a moment. Sakura sucked in a long, large breath, relieved that the pain had receded for the moment, but reality suddenly hit her. These contractions weren't going to go away, mainly because her water had just broken.

' _No_ ,' she thought, suddenly scared. She'd had months to prepare for another baby, yet she truly hadn't thought much about it. Excitement had been her primary emotion, but she hadn't really considered that she was going to have a child with one of the most notorious criminals in the shinobi nations. That was a lie: she had. But she'd always pushed the thought aside.

Pain would be an excellent father, she knew. But suddenly her situation became a reality, and that scared Sakura head to toe.

She didn't have much time to fear anymore, though, because the pain came back swiftly and suddenly.

She screamed.

* * *

Mwahaha! Hope this chapter came out okay! Gotta love the cliffhangers, guys. I hope to have the next chapter up soon. Hope you guys like this one! Please REVIEW! Even a few words are encouragement for me!

REVIEW!

Thanks, ya'll!

Best,

Adoration (AKA Ella 3)


	17. I Want You Here, So Breathe

_"An ache_  
 _So deep_  
 _That I_  
 _Can hardly breathe_  
 _This pain_  
 _Can't be imagined_  
 _Will it ever heal?_  
 _Ooh... ooh..._

 _Your hand_  
 _So small_  
 _Held a strand of my hair_  
 _So strong_  
 _All I could do_  
 _Was keep believing_  
 _Was that enough?_

 _Is anyone there?_

 _I wanna scream_  
 _Is this a dream?_  
 _How could this happen,_  
 _Happen to me?_  
 _This isn't fair_  
 _This nightmare_  
 _This kind of torture_  
 _I just can't bear_  
 _I want you here_  
 _I want you here_  
 _Ooh... ooh..._

 _I waited so long_  
 _For you to come_  
 _Then you were here_  
 _And now you're gone_  
 _I was not prepared_  
 _For you to leave me_  
 _Oh this is misery_

 _Are you still there?"_

 _~I Want You Here, Plumb_

 _I hear the sound,_  
 _Echoes beneath,_  
 _Angels and skylines meet,_  
 _And I'm straining to reach,_  
 _The light on the surface,_  
 _Light on the other side,_  
 _I feel the pages turning,_  
 _I see the candle burning down,_  
 _Before my eyes,_  
 _Before my wild eyes,_  
 _I feel you holding me,_  
 _Tighter, I cannot see,_  
 _When we finally,_  
 _Breathe,_  
 _Breathe."_

 _~Breathe, Fleurie_

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, I know I updated earlier today. But I was in a writing mood, so I thought, "Why not two chapters in one day?!" Hahaha! Hope you guys enjoy this and are happy with the second chapter of the day! Also, I recommend listening to Breathe by Fleurie throughout the chapter. It really fits!**_

* * *

Chapter Seventeen

 _Thump-thump._

Sakura could hear her heartbeat clearly in her ears as she fell to her knees, hands bracing herself on the floor.

 _Thump-thump._

The doors burst open beside her, but she couldn't focus during the contraction. Amaya's birth had been a terrible process, what with Sakura falling and breaking her hip during labor. Thank God Kiba had been there. Now, all Sakura could think was: having a boy was going to be the death of her. If the pain was this bad so soon, then she was in for a whirlwind of labor and delivery.

" _Sakura_!"

Pain was there, pushing her hair back while his hands moved to lift her up out of her crouched position.

" _No_ ," Sakura hissed, wincing when she moved slightly. "I swear to _God_ if you touch me right now, I'll kill you."

Pain's hands stilled where they were, and Sakura had to breathe for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, eyes shuttering closed. "I'm sorry. I'm in so much pain."

"You're in labor," Pain stated, and Sakura wanted to smack him.

"Yep," Sakura said, pushing herself up finally as Pain helped her warily. "You're going to be a daddy soon, my dear."

Sakura could see the worried smile on Pain's face out of the corner of her peripheral vision, though, and it gave her comfort. Pain was here. He was here to stay, and comfort her through this. Unlike last time, she wasn't alone.

 _Thump-thump._

Sakura almost doubled over again, but Pain gently helped her stand through the pain. Supporting her with an arm around her torso, Pain looked back at the other members who had stepped out of or who were peering through the double doors.

"Meeting adjourned," he stated, and began to walk Sakura—slowly—down the hallway towards the infirmary. "Konan, Itachi, please escort Ilona Rinata here as soon as possible. We're going to have a baby on our hands, soon, and we need a doctor for him and Sakura both."

"Yes, Leader," Itachi confirmed.

"Alright, soon-to-be daddy!" Konan exclaimed with much more enthusiasm, to which Pain merely snorted.

"What can we do, Leader?" Deidara asked.

Pain stopped as Sakura began to breathe slowly, nodding that she was okay for the moment.

"Deidara, you come with me," Pain said, and Sakura was thankful that Deidara would also be by her side through this. She considered the blonde a true friend among the Akatsuki, because she _did not_ want to share this moment with Zetsu or Kakuzu.

As another contraction barreled through her, she whimpered and buried her head against Pain's warm side. His touch pained her nerves which were all on edge, yet it also comforted the ache she had for his touch.

"Sakura," Pain sighed, and brushed some hair out of her face as they walked. "Don't you want me to carry you?"

Sakura shook her head, sweat beading against her forehead and eventually running down her cheeks. She was in so much Pain, but she needed to do this…

'No,' she thought suddenly, and suddenly started shaking her head. She needed help, and she wasn't going to deny it any longer.

"Please," she finally whispered, already out of breath from the contraction.

Pain nodded and lifted her up bridal style, picking up a brisk walk to the infirmary. Sakura gently wrapped her arms around his neck, being careful not to grip his neck to hard. The last thing she wanted to do was smother the soon-to-be father of her child.

"Where's Amaya?" Sakura asked suddenly, the thought of her daughter running through her mind. She had been in her room the last time Sakura had checked, back when the contractions had started before the meeting. It would be her bedtime now, but Sakura knew that the baby wasn't going to wait for long. Amaya would want to meet her brother…

"I'll have Deidara go check on her. She was in her room, right?" Pain asked, shooting Deidara a look.

Deidara nodded and began to head off in the direction the residence halls.

"Yes," Sakura whispered, tears gathering in her eyes as they entered the infirmary.

Pain laid her down on one of the beds, pulling the curtain to give a semblance of privacy. Despite there being no one in the large room, it was a large room. And the small curtain space seemed better than staring at the large expanse of the room.

When he turned back, the tears had already begun to run down Sakura's cheeks. Sakura saw his eyes soften, those ringed, beautiful eyes, and Pain sat down on the bed next to her.

"Sweetness," he murmured, running a finger against her cheek to catch the tears. It was sweet, and had the tears flowing from Sakura's eyes even more at the gesture. "What is it? I know you're in Pain. Do you want me to give you something?"

Sakura shook her head, eyes closed as she focused through the sharp-shooting feeling. "No. No painkillers," she murmured, and couldn't help the harsh whimper that escaped her lips.

"I'm scared," she suddenly whispered, her eyes going to Pain.

His lips pursed, and his hand stilled against her cheek.

"You've had a child before, Sakura," Pain whispered, eyes soft. "You can do this."

"Yes, but last time I was alone. Last time everything went wrong," she replied.

Pain was suddenly there, his forehead leaning against hers. His lips lightly caressed hers, his breath a mixture of cinnamon and mint. Fresh and calming.

"You're not alone this time, Sakura," he said, and ran his hand through her hair. "You're not alone, and this is going to go smoothly."

Sakura nodded, although something in the back of her mind nagged at her. Something just felt wrong. Very, very wrong.

Sakura pulled at Pain's hand, removing it from her hair to place it on her stomach. "Feel?" she asked, knowing what Pain would feel there. It was an odd feeling to feel a baby moving inside of one's body, so it had to be strange for Pain to even feel anything moving at all.

His eyes widened slightly, just as they did every time he felt their baby kick and move, and became trained on her stomach. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to her bare stomach and then his forehead.

"Hello, Little One," Pain whispered against her belly, smiling a full smile against the skin there when the baby kicked against him. "You'll be here soon in your mother's arms, I promise you."

Sakura, heart melting at the sight, ran a hand through Pain's spiked hair. How had she gotten so lucky? Some may not have said lucky. She had been captured by the Akatsuki in the beginning, taken hostage, and then she had fallen for her captor. Some would say Stockholm syndrome, but Sakura knew that she loved the man that sat to her left. The man who had done nothing but take care of she and her daughter, ensuring their safety in all situations.

"Have you thought of any names?" Sakura asked, hand playing with strands of hair atop Pain's head. He remained glued to her abdomen, head lain there as he felt the baby kick and move.

"No," he replied, eyes closed. "Have you?"

Sakura smiled. "Raiden," Sakura stated proudly, knowing her choice would produce a chuckle from her significant other. Which it did.

Pain chuckled softly, and his eyes fluttered open. "Thunder God?" he asked lightly, and then closed his eyes again. "I approve."

It was Sakura's turn to laugh. "Oh, well I'm glad I have your stamp of approval on this important issue," she said, rolling her eyes. The pain came back in a moment's notice, and she hissed.

Pain lifted his head and grasped her hand, which he allowed her to squeeze to her hearts content. She was pretty sure she may break bone, but Sakura didn't think he cared too much.

And there they sat, chatting ever so softly around the contractions. Silence was key, though, and eventually Sakura was able to rest through the contractions. After a while she had become tired, and found solace in their mutual silence. Deidara had come in and out, checking on them and then Amaya in turn. He also updated the other members throughout the time that there was in fact no baby just yet.

"You want to know Hidan's response?" Deidara asked as Sakura cried through a particularly painful contraction. "'How long does it take to pop out a kid? I mean, seriously. Pop that fucker out so we can feed it!'"

Sakura couldn't hold back her hellacious laughter at the thought of their resident loud-mouth. But soon the pain took over, and she was reduced to tears once again.

The pain was terrible. Amaya had been quick, and Sakura thought that this was going to be a quick labor as well. But something just didn't seem right. Something was wrong, but Sakura rested anyway. Rested because she was so, so exhausted of feeling such pain…

Her eyes fluttered open to the bright, sterile lights of the infirmary. It seemed like a century had gone by while she had briefly passed out. It was amazing that she could even sleep through the pain she had been feeling…

Looking over to Pain, she found him sleeping in the chair at her side. His eyes were closed, his chest rising ever so slowly. Up, down—up, down.

How long had she been asleep? When was her last contraction?

Suddenly, there was movement in her belly. Normal, at first, but then she could feel rapid jerks and hits. Rapid, and violent. She gripped her belly in concern, and then panic. Something was terribly wrong.

"Pain," she whispered, reaching for the ultrasound to her right. " _Pain—Pain!_ "

Grabbing the ultrasound machine, she pulled it close to her bedside and hit the proper buttons to get it working. Squeezing the gel against her belly, she placed the ultrasound probe against her stomach and rolled it around until she could see properly on the screen.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked as Pain jumped to his feet beside her. He leaned against the bed, his eyes taking in the scene before him.

"I don't know, Sakura. What's wrong?" he asked, concern filling his voice. "What's going on, Sakura?"

"Look," she whispered, tearing welling up in her eyes. "No, oh, no. The cord is wrapped around his neck, Pain. He's suffocating. _He's suffocating_!"

"Sakura, calm down, let me—"

Sakura grabbed his hand and pulled it against her belly, where the kicking and thrashing was becoming stronger by the moment.

His eyes widened as he met her gaze, and they were both moving in an instant.

Sakura threw the ultrasound machine to the side, pulling up her shirt and throwing it off. "You're going to need to do a C-section, Pain. Now."

"I know," he replied, simply, as he grabbed the syringes of pre-measured pain medication from the cabinets. "I've never done this before."

"I'm going to tell you how," Sakura said, and relayed word for word what the medical books had taught her in her time under Tsunade. A few words of Tsunade's were mixed in as well, because a book was just a book and not made for every situation at hand.

Pain injected the area around Sakura's pelvis with the morphine while his other hand picked up the clean surgical equipment he may need.

"Sakura—"

"What are you doing?" she wailed, suddenly. Grabbing her shirt, she leaned back and stared at him wide eyed.

"I will not cut into you without you being numb. Now, roll over," Pain argued, his face stern.

"And I will not lose our baby, Pain, now just do it! _Now_!" Sakura cried, feeling the kicking in her stomach slowly subside and stop. "No, no, no! Pain, _do it! Now! Now—now—now_!"

Sakura bit down on her shirt and clutched the sides of the table, bracing.

Nothing could brace her for the amount of pain that shot through her body as the scalpel was brought across her skin. Nothing. She would take the contractions she'd felt over the feeling of Pain's hands cutting and slicing through her skin and, eventually, her uterus.

She screamed. It wasn't a soft sound, nor was it a calm sound. It was a guttural, animalistic scream of fear, pain, and anger. Fear of what may happen, pain because this was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, and anger because nothing would ever seem to go right when it came down to the important things in her life. Nothing. But this would end well. It had to. Even if her death meant the life of her child, then so be it, because— _damnit_ —Sakura was not losing a child. Not his child. She had spent to long fantasizing over his life for him to not get one.

She fell back against the bed, eyes wide and bloodshot. She continued to scream, even though her body was slowly becoming numb.

"I know, Sakura. I know. Hold on, Sakura, please. Please."

Pain's words were like a mantra that seemed to carry through the pain and gore of the situation. She could feel her warm blood begin to pool around her on the bed, soaking into the mattress and sheets below her. Staining.

"Deidara!" Pain screamed, the first sign that he was losing his control. He had been so cool, so collected. What was happening? Why couldn't she scream anymore? It hurt so bad…

Her vision began to burn, her eyes seeing black from the outside in.

"Stay with me, Sakura. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe."

"What happened?" Deidara hissed, eyes wide. Sakura turned to stare at him, but her head only flopped to the side.

"I need you to control the bleeding. He was suffocating," Pain commanded, and explained all at once.

A green glow appeared over Sakura as Deidara began to take care of the bleeding vessels.

Sakura couldn't lift her head, and, oh, she wished she could. She wanted to reassure Pain. Reassure him that she was just going to go to sleep for a moment, and she would wake back up outside of this dream.

Suddenly, Pain was pulling. Pulling against something and Sakura strained to lift her head to see. See anything, hear anything…

"Cry, please, cry," he whispered as he rocked something back and forth in his arms. Leaning the something over in his arms, he gently patted it and bounced it up and down.

"He's not crying, Pain," Deidara voiced, shock and disbelief coated his voice.

He?

Who was _he_?

He… He…

 _Raiden_.

"My baby," she whispered through heavy lips and compressed vocal cords. Her body was so heavy, and it weighed down on her like bricks were slowly being stacked up against her. "Raiden."

Sakura was silent for a moment, eyes closed as she willed his voice to come, and she was rewarded with an unhappy cry. It was short, and it was most definitely sweet, and Sakura couldn't hold back the sobbing that escaped her throat. Sobbing she couldn't control.

She tried to reach out her arms, but they were so heavy…

"Sakura," Pain whispered, holding the baby closer. Her arms came up to touch the baby, covered in blood and grime, but alive and pink. The baby was quiet, but his eyes were open and were bright, bright blue. She couldn't wait to see what color they would turn, because all babies' eyes were blue in the beginning.

"He's beautiful," she whispered, smile gracing her tired lips. Oh, so tired. Her eyes fluttered.

"You did so well, Sakura," Pain whispered, wrapping the baby in a towel.

"Pain, she's bleeding out faster than I can get control of it. I need your help. She lost a lot of blood before I got here."

Pain's eyes were suddenly stolen away from hers, but her eyes were trained solely on Raiden. "Raiden…" she whispered, eyes only for her son before the world went black.

"Sakura, _no_ ," Pain shouted, and the babies crying resumed. "Sakura. _Sakura_. _Breathe_ , Sakura, _breathe_!"

She couldn't, though, because her chest was so heavy. Her heart felt like it was beating so slow in her ears until it just…

The world was blackness and darkness come up to rush around her. No sounds, no voices, no sense except one.

"Sakura!"

xxxXxxx

She wanted him here. It wasn't fair. She wanted to scream. Was she in a dream? How could something like this happen when things had been going so smoothly?

She was stuck in the dark, no senses to guide her through the misery that was the blackness. It was torture to know her son was there, and she was stuck in between worlds.

Why was she here? Stuck in the darkness, it was hard to comprehend anything but: Why?

Why had this happened to her?

She had been so careful to rest herself every day, to do anything she knew to do to prevent having a C-section.

If only Ilona had been there. She could have prevented everything.

But Ilona hadn't been there, and Pain had been the one to save their dying, unborn son. He had stepped up and listened to Sakura's words to the tee.

Sometimes things came through the darkness. Once, she even heard him cry. Raiden. Once it was Pain. She had never heard him cry before, but she was so sure it had been him. His deep voice was unmistakable.

Were they all still there? She wanted to scream. How could this happen to her?

This was a nightmare, and it was torture. She wanted to feel him here in her arms, and in that moment she wanted nothing but her son.

It was so confusing when the light came and lifted her from the darkness. It had felt like she had been in the darkness for ages, and she was finally coming up for a breath of air. Breathing. In and out. In and out.

Safe.

Her eyelids fluttered. Her body ached so, so deep. She could hardly breathe, but the breaths were there. Small, life giving, and hopeful. Suddenly, she was able to suck in a deep breath. Eyes open, seeing. Ears hearing, listening. Skin feeling, and the pain was muted.

Her body ached like she had been hit with a freight train, ever muscle seemed to be pulled from the ordeal she had faced.

Her eyes darted around in the light, not used to seeing without the darkness there to swallow the pictures. She was straining to reach the light on the surface, to reach the other side. Until… the light began to fade, though, her eyes slowly becoming used to the light again. The room she was in wasn't the infirmary that she remembered last, but it was a room in the base.

Lifting her head to gaze around the room, Sakura could hear the heart monitor that was hooked up to her. It beat like perfection, her heart no longer stuttering in and out. That had been a terrifying feeling. A numb feeling, but also terrifying.

The blankets surrounding her were so comfortable, so warm and plush. She knew Pain had brought them from their bedroom. He had to, because they felt exactly like the ones he had on the master bed.

Sakura worked her jaw, opening her dry mouth and closing it. She hadn't needed a tube, so she'd only been out… what? A day?

The door opened across from her bed, and bright red hair pierced through all the other colors swirling in her vision.

Ilona.

The smiling face of her friend and comrade came into view, and Ilona laughed lightly. "Finally, you're awake," she said, lightly and not too loud. "We've been waiting for you, you know."

"And it's so rude to keep someone waiting," Sakura finished in a hoarse voice and coughed until a bottle of water was placed against her lips by Ilona.

"Drink and calm down, okay? You're okay," she said, eyes kind and hands gentle.

"When…?" Sakura began to ask, but trailed off.

"A couple days ago. You've been out for quite a while. Four days. I arrived that night; the night Pain sent for me," Ilona explained.

"Raiden…"

"He's completely healthy and okay, as are you. Pain did a fantastic job with your coaching. Good job, Sakura. You both saved that little boy. You both did. Don't think you didn't do anything," Ilona explained and praised. "They're both in the nursery now. Konan and some of the other members went shopping for a nursery while you were asleep. It's beautiful, as is Amaya's room. They need to start an interior decorating company."

Sakura laughed, and it didn't hurt as much as she expected.

"We've got you on some painkillers for the pain, but I've been working on you day and night. You shouldn't need them much longer. You only have a scar now thanks to my magnificent chakra. Which isn't good enough, because you shouldn't even have a scar. But your body needed to take care of itself without my meddling," Ilona continued.

Sakura began to sit up, and her muscles protested every movement. Ilona jumped forward, hands outstretched and ready to help if need be.

"Don't push yourself, Sakura. You went through a dangerous ordeal and survived, which is amazing you didn't…" Ilona trailed off.

"Die?" Sakura asked, finding her voice as she began to throw her feet over the edge of the bed. Her vision became dizzy, her heart beating faster. It felt good to be awake. It felt good to be _alive_.

"Yeah," Ilona said with a wince, and pushed some hair out of Sakura's face. "Yeah."

Sakura tried to stand, she really did, but she only fell back to the bed clutching her chest. Her heart was beating so fast, too fast…

"Okay, Sakura, you need to calm down and take it one step at a time," she murmured, holding Sakura's arm now as she checked her pulse by hand as well as looked at the monitor. "Please, Sakura."

"I need to see Raiden," Sakura argued, the need to see her son too great to care about her own well-being.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and Pain entered, something bundled in his arms.

Sakura stilled, and their eyes met. His eyes melted, and his shoulders seemed to sag as some weight seemed to be lifted from his shoulders.

"Sakura," Pain whispered, holding the bundle close. "What are you doing?"

Sakura's eyes were trained on Pain's face, and then the bundle as a hand reached up to touch Pain's chest through his shirt.

Her eyes jumped between Pain and the bundle before a sob broke her voice. "Please?" she asked, and held her arms out for her son. She'd only gotten a glimpse of his beautiful, magnificent face before she'd faded into the dark.

Pain nodded and strode over to the bed. "Only if you get back into bed and rest," he wagered, and Sakura knew in that moment he was pure evil.

"How dare you use my son as a wagering tool," she hissed, playfully, but also a little bit serious.

"Oh, yes, how dare I make sure my love is taken care of before she holds the other love of my life," Pain playfully said, which was rare that he was so casual in front of another, stranger person. Rare and welcome to Sakura.

Sakura leaned back in bed, allowing Ilona to pull the covers up around her. Her heart rate immediately began to go down, and Ilona seemed to relax slightly.

"It's too much, Sakura. You have to take care of yourself as well as Raiden," Ilona said, Pain stepping closer to the edge of the bed. "I'll leave you two be, okay? Call me if you need anything at all. Both of you."

Pain only nodded before he took up residence on the bed next to Sakura. Sakura, meanwhile, held her hands out for her son, which Pain could only oblige. As he was placed in her arms, Sakura felt something oh so right and just plain okay settle around herself. It was like her whole existence was now for the bundle of joy that lay in her arms, and the only reason she could sit up in bed for the moment.

He wasn't heavy. He was small, but not too small. The perfect size to fit in her arms, even though he may be extremely small in Pain's grip.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, her eyes trained on her son's expressions. His face seemed to be so, so still…

"You bled out on the table. I thought I lost you, but we got you back. Barely. We had to work for it until Ilona arrived a couple hours later. Neither one of us could get your bleeding under control. But we did, and once we closed it was a battle to keep you breathing," Pain recalled with some distance to his tone, his eyes distant and viewing a scene that wasn't in the present. Goosebumps covered his skin, and Sakura reached out to take his hand.

"I'm here, and I'm safe thanks to you. You knew what you needed to do, and what you didn't know you quickly learned. I was completely prepared to fade away, but you kept me here. You and Deidara both. I trust you with my life, Pain, and you gave me my life. Me and Raiden. You saved us both," Sakura spoke, and smiled when Pain's glazed over eyes flashed to her face. "I love you."

Pain smiled, a soft and sweet thing. "I love you too, my sunshine."

"He's perfect," Sakura said, counting his toes and fingers to make sure he was truly all there. Safe and sound.

"He is. We did this," Pain whispered, caressing the curls atop Raiden's head. "We made something so perfect, Sakura."

Sakura smiled, and leaned against Pain. "We did," Sakura whispered, and leaned up to kiss the amazing man sitting beside her.

She had to remind herself to breathe through the kiss, because she would have given up the very breath in her lungs to prolong this moment with her family.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe.

* * *

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed that dangerous chapter! Woo! A little drama for your day. Well. I'm heading off to bed now. So, please enjoy. Read. Review.

REVIEW! Even a few words help to encourage me! I want to thank my three reviewers today for their quick reviews. I wrote this chapter with you guys in mind, because I wanted to surprise ya'll with a second chapter!

 **Trina sexxy**

 **MayhemBunny**

 **CaptivatingDreams**

Thanks, guys!

REVIEW!

Best,

Adoration (AKA Ella!)


	18. To Build A Home

_"Out in the garden where we planted the seeds,_  
 _There is a tree as old as me,_  
 _Branches were sewn by the color of green,_  
 _Ground had arose and passed it's knees._

 _By the cracks of his skin I climbed to the top,_  
 _I climbed the tree to see the world,_  
 _When the gusts came around to blow me down,_  
 _Held on as tightly as you held onto me,_  
 _Held on as tightly as you held onto me..._

 _And, I built a home,_  
 _For you,_  
 _For me."_

 _~To Build A Home, The Cinematic Orchestra_

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** I know this chapter is, I think, the _shortest_ chapter of the entire story. But I wanted to dedicate a small chapter to some fluffy scenes between the small family I've created. I hope you enjoy! Also, again, **I recommend listening to the song To Build A Home by the Cinematic Orchestra**. It sets the mood! Love you guys!

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

 _Thump-thump._

Something wasn't right. Her heart beat strongly in her ears.

 _Thump-thump_.

Something had to be wrong.

 _Thump-thump._

Raiden.

For what had to be the seventh time that night, Sakura had awoken from a hellacious nightmare surrounding her son. This time, the kunoichi was pushing herself out of her very comfortable and very tempting bed. Wrapping the red robe around her naked body, Sakura gently slipped from the room so as not to disturb her significant other still soundly sleeping.

It had been a month since the birth of her son. It seemed just yesterday Sakura had seemed to almost slip away completely, but the thought of her child had brought her back to the living.

All of that month Raiden had slept in a crib that had been built in she and Pain's bedroom. He had never cried, though he had fussed a few nights. Raiden wasn't a crying baby, and Sakura was grateful for the reprieve. When Amaya had been born, she had developed colic severely and kept Sakura up day and night with her crying. It had been a harsh wake up call for Sakura, who had always envisioned a peaceful baby.

Well. Raiden was that peaceful baby she had always envisioned, because the boy was as happy as could be. He was a quiet, peaceful, giggly baby who enjoyed the life that surrounded him, and Sakura had vowed to never let anything break that spirit. It was so hard to come by nowadays.

Shuffling down the hall quickly and quietly, Sakura finally made it to Raiden's nursery. From day one, the other Akatsuki members had built Raiden the nursery he deserved. Pain and Sakura had simply wanted to keep him close for the first few nights, and that had turned into a month long process of checking and rechecking on their quiet and peaceful son.

Pain hadn't envisioned a quiet child, though. He had confided in Sakura that he was waiting for Raiden to explode one day, and turn into a crying, messy, typical baby. She had just laughed at his shock and relief.

They had moved Raiden into his bedroom a week ago, and Sakura had been to check on him every night. Being in the bedroom was one thing, but down the hall and to the right was too far for him to be when the world could be out to harm him.

Which, as Sakura pondered her thoughts for a moment, she knew she was overreacting. But it had been seven, almost eight, years since Amaya had been that small and vulnerable, and now she was turning into a young shinobi that could take care of herself. At eight, Amaya was fending for herself. Taking care of herself. Sakura, again a new parent, didn't know how to handle the anxious thoughts swirling through her mind at what could happen if the base was attacked. It was a whirlwind of thoughts, plots, and twists in her mind that kept her up at night, and something she'd only shared with Pain a few times. Each time he had simply brushed Sakura off, knowing he could protect his son. Which he could. Sakura knew he could.

But still.

Her son was precious to her, and nothing could and ever would take him away from her again like the darkness almost had.

Sakura checked on Amaya first, poking her head in the door to find the butterflies flitting around the room and the night lights on in various spots of her room.

'She must have had a nightmare,' Sakura thought, sympathy going out to her daughter. 'Mommy had one too, baby.'

Slipping over to Amaya, Sakura leaned down and brushed a kiss to her forehead. Brushing the white hair from her face, Sakura readjusted the quilt atop her daughter and left her be. She was sleeping so peacefully now that Sakura didn't dare disturb her to ask if she was alright.

Slipping from the room, Sakura took one last look at Amaya and shut the door.

The next room was Raiden's.

Pushing the door open quietly, Sakura poked her head inside and admired the beautiful nursery. The members had really done an amazing job.

The room had three walls that were painted a dark, sea blue, and the fourth wall was painted a cream shade of white. Décor covered the cream-white wall, ranging from pictures of the mountains surrounding their base to a large monogramed R above Raiden's dark, black crib. The mobile above him had been made by Konan, complete with origami ships, flowers, waves, and sea creatures. It was beautiful, and also was activated by a small amount of chakra run through it. It would run for ages on such a small amount of chakra that Sakura didn't have to worry about returning to make sure it was still spinning.

To the right were a few bookshelves lined with children's books, stuffed animals, and pictures of the group. To the left was the changing table that matched Raiden's crib, and a dresser that held his clothes. Konan had stocked up on the cutest clothes in various sizes so Sakura didn't need to go shopping every time Raiden outgrew his outfits.

The small fish tank against the wall where the door stood had been Kisame's addition. She'd known he would contribute another one, just as he did in Amaya's bedroom. Raiden loved to stare at the fish, and the colors as the LED light changed colors in the tank. He giggled and loved the very sight of the tank.

Sakura had been shocked, just as she was shocked when the group had pulled together to give Amaya her own space. And she loved everything about the room.

Stepping into the room, Sakura made her way over to her son's crib and leaned over the bars.

Raiden slept peacefully, his small lips in the shape of an 'o.' His curly head of orange hair looked just like his daddy's, and Sakura loved to run her hands through the thick curls. The boy had definitely been born with a full head of hair. It was wonderful.

And he was perfectly fine.

Sakura sighed, a soft sound, and stared at her son. How could she be this paranoid to leave him? She was within distance to reach him in time if anything were to happen. It wasn't as if she were across the base. The only time he was apart from Sakura was at night, so it shouldn't have scared Sakura so much to leave him alone.

"Sakura."

Sakura didn't flinch. She'd known Pain was there, although she hadn't known exactly for how long he'd watched her.

She looked up from Raiden to meet his ringed eyes, and she smiled softly.

"Hey," she greeted, and wrapped her arms around her center sheepishly.

Pain looked rested, and well-aware of what Sakura was doing. "He's fine, Sakura," Pain reassured, and strode over to her.

She sighed, whispering, "I know, I know," as Pain's arms came to surround her from behind. Her arms fell atop his around her waist, hands clutching at his strong forearms.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she whispered, and leaned her head back against his chest.

"You're very aware of the safety of our child. There's nothing wrong with that, but you need sleep. You can't be in here every night. I know you worry, I can feel it," Pain reassured, hugging her into him. "But you need rest. I won't stand to see you kill yourself worrying."

Sakura lightly smacked his arm, but nodded her head in agreement. "I know, I know," she repeated, staring at her son once more. "I know. He's safe."

xxxXxxx

It was amazing to finally breathe again and spend time with her family. It had been a long time since she'd been able to sit down with Amaya and simply read a goodnight story or make a mother-daughter dinner. And now, especially with Raiden, that was possible. Once she'd left the leaf, Sakura thought she would never get that chance again. She thought she'd be out on the road traveling—or running. Running was more like it. With her eventual status change to 'rogue' Sakura was going to need to reevaluate how she wanted to live her life.

With Raiden, though, she wanted nothing more than to be with her children. And Pain.

It wasn't the life she'd imagined for herself when she was twelve. She had envisioned herself a successful shinobi, but she'd also envisioned that she would be living with Sasuke Uchiha by this point completely infatuated with the man. Hey—she'd been twelve when she'd thought this stuff up. There was no telling where her life was going to lead her, but being the significant other of a notorious criminal mastermind was not it. Also, having a child with said criminal mastermind had not been in the plan either. But it was the plan now, and the plan felt wonderful. Sakura wouldn't change anything for the world. Nothing.

Pulling weeds wasn't something she'd thought of doing at an Akatsuki base, but it was happening. Especially since Amaya wanted to take up gardening. Not only would it brighten up the outside of the base, but it made her child happy all the same. Konan had been happy enough to watch Raiden while he took a nap, and alert Sakura if he awoke.

The whole base had been wonderful with her new son. Truly. Everyone loved him, even the hot-headed Hidan. Despite his cursing, which made Raiden giggle uncontrollably, the man could be a hardcore sweetheart in the presence of her son. It was hilarious, actually.

The other members were just as wrapped around his little fingers as she was, but no one was more entranced with her son than his father. Pain had been hesitant at first to show his feelings towards his son, but he soon succumbed to the small child's will.

It wasn't easy to hold back one's feelings when the little one was around. He had the laugh of the happiest man on earth, and the peaceful nature of the Sage of Six Path's himself. He hardly ever cried, which was the complete opposite of his sister who had colic and cried until Sakura could hardly stay on her feet anymore.

He had been her toughest delivery, yet he was—so far—the easiest baby she'd ever encountered. He certainly had his father's cool nature. Thank God.

"Amaya, honey, bring the flowers over here and you can dig the hole," Sakura called to Amaya, who was chasing some butterflies around the front of the base.

It was a comfort to know that the base was hidden by genjutsu, and also protected by a shield that Pain had placed around the entire base. He could feel anyone who entered and left the perimeter. She was safe her with Amaya, and Raiden would be safe ultimately.

"'Kay, Mom!" Amaya called, the happiest smile on her face as she ran through the grass towards where Sakura knelt.

To see Amaya so happy was something that gave her heart joy. It had been heartbreaking to see Amaya living in Konoha again. Nothing gave her happiness, not even the ice cream dates with Shikamaru and Ino.

It had been heartbreaking for Sakura, too, herself. But now they were home, and they were here to stay.

Going back to Konoha wasn't even a blip on her radar, not when she considered any of the Akatsuki hideouts to be her many different homes. The main headquarters being her main home.

"Are we going to use the pink or the purple flowers?" Amaya shouted, picking up both and looking at her mother.

"How about both? We'll alternate the colors," Sakura replied, pulling the small shovel up off the ground to hand it to her daughter who walked up beside her.

"Sounds good," Amaya said, satisfaction set on her face.

Sakura stared at her daughter, and sighed in contentment.

"Are you happy here, baby?" Sakura asked Amaya, who didn't look up from her digging when she replied.

"Mom, I love it here. Don't you?"

"Yes, baby, I do."

"Especially with Raiden now," Amaya responded, and smiled up at her mother. "Did I ever thank you for my baby brother? I don't think I ever did. He's so adorable, isn't he? You and Daddy need to have another baby soon."

It took Sakura by surprise. Amaya had never said 'Daddy' before. Never. Especially towards Pain. She'd had a slip once while she had been with Shikamaru once, but that had been years ago. Back before Ino and Shikamaru had gotten together, and Shikamaru and she had dated off and on for a couple months.

"Mommy?" Amaya questioned, eyes hesitant. "Did I say something wrong?"

Sakura controlled her face, and smiled softly down at her daughter. Shaking her head, Sakura said, "No, baby. You didn't do anything at all. You call Pain Daddy?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I do," she said. "I called him 'Daddy' the other day and he had the same face as you. I didn't know if I did something bad, but, you want to know a secret?"

Sakura leaned down, whispering, "What is that, honey?"

Amaya leaned in, flower in hand, and whispered, "I want Pain as my daddy. He's the only daddy I've ever known, Mom. I like him. And I want to stay with him. Okay?"

Sakura smiled, fiddling with the gloves on her hands. "Okay, baby, we'll stay with him. I promise."

"Really?" Amaya asked, expression perking up as she placed the flower in the hole she'd dug a few moments earlier.

Sakura nodded. "Really."

"Sakura!"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder and spotted Konan poking her head out of the front doors, followed by the happy giggle of her son. Sakura smiled uncontrollably.

"Raiden!" exclaimed Amaya, rushing over to Konan.

Sakura followed, pulling her gloves off and accepting her son from Konan. She smiled down at the infant and kissed his forehead. "Hello, son of mine," Sakura cooed, which resulted in another giggle from Raiden.

"I'll finish with Amaya if you want to go inside," Konan said, ruffling Amaya's hair.

Amaya nodded, pulling at Konan's hand. "Come _on_ , Aunt Konan."

Sakura laughed and nodded, handing Konan her gloves.

Yeah; life was pretty stable and great now.

xxxXxxx

To build a home Sakura knew you had to have a few basic things: trust, honesty, and a love that ran so deep that it held the home together no matter if the walls were standing or not.

A love that ran so deep that nothing could come between them.

That love existed between she and Pain, and ran through Amaya and Raiden. Everything came full circle, and it made it even better that the other nine members of the Akatsuki helped keep the circle complete as well.

To build a home, Sakura needed to have trust. She did. She had the trust of every member of the Akatsuki, and she had the trust of her Pain. But they also had her trust in anything that occurred around the base. Not only did Sakura distribute missions now, but she managed all of the paperwork that Pain couldn't quite get to. She managed their pay, and made sure that the Akatsuki mill was running smoothly.

To build a home, Sakura needed honesty. Honesty was something that was a must between she and Pain, as well as the other members. Whether the truth was ugly or not, Sakura wanted to hear it and so did the other members. Without honesty, secrets developed. Secrets couldn't be tolerated, not when so much danger surrounded them at all times.

As she ran her hands over Pain's bare chest, Sakura knew that their love ran deep. So, so deep.

Sakura leaned up, naked legs straddling his equally naked hips. She smiled, her long hair falling around her naked shoulders to cover her breasts. "You know, Amaya said we needed to have another baby as soon as possible."

Pain chuckled, the sensual smile that graced his lips gave Sakura goosebumps to her very core.

"I don't think that's a bad idea," he said, moving his hips in the slightest way to make Sakura moan. She shivered. "Do you?"

"Not at all," Sakura whispered, hands running over the muscles of his chest. Feeling, memorizing, loving.

"But I think you just love the making of the baby more," she teased, and laughed when he rolled his eyes.

"In all honesty, though, after Raiden I would love to have more children," Pain said, tracing the outline of her breast. "But to almost lose you again… I couldn't bear it. Raiden pulled me through this last scare, Sakura. But if he had died…"

Sakura leaned over Pain, her hair dragging along his chest as her lips met his. "I know," Sakura whispered against his lips as his eyes shuttered closed. "I know."

"I know I said I would give you free reign after Raiden was born, but I'm finding it hard to let you go, Sakura," Pain confessed, hands tracing her thighs and finally resting on her hips.

Sakura nodded, sighing. "I know that, too," Sakura whispered, leaning up slightly as she brushed her hand through his hair. "But right now I don't think I need free reign of anything other than my home. This base. I want nothing more than to be here with you and my children. I have no need or want to find trouble elsewhere."

Pain traced the outline of her cheek, brushing a thumb along her cheek.

"We need to move bases, Sakura," Pain suddenly said, and Sakura sat up abruptly.

"Why?" she asked, blinking wildly. "It's safe here."

"We've had a lot of activity in this area with rogue shinobi who mean harm to the group, and I would rather have you and the children move with the rest of the group to another base while we secure this base even further. The genjutsu is wearing off, and it's becoming very unsafe to live here right now," Pain explained, hands curling on her hips. "I know you want to remain here, but I need you and the children safe right now. I can't give that to you here right now."

Sakura pondered on his words, pursing her lips. She shook her head. "I know you need us to leave, but I don't want to. Pain, I feel safe here. I know the layout here."

Pain shook his head, leaning up. "I need you elsewhere, Sakura," he pleaded softly. "I _need_ you to be safe, Sakura."

Sighing, Sakura reluctantly nodded. "Everyone else is leaving as well?"

Pain nodded. "Save for Itachi. He will remain here and help be reestablish the genjutsu."

"I'll go, but it will reluctantly," Sakura murmured, but was quieted a moment later when Pain readjusted his hips.

Groaning, Sakura closed her eyes. "You're one evil son of a bitch," she whispered, and Pain let out a full hearted laugh.

"Why thank you," he replied, pulling her to his chest so he could roll them over on the pillow top mattress.

* * *

Well, there it is. Chapter Eighteen! I hope you all enjoyed the small fluffy scenes I had the pleasure in creating. Sadly, I must say this, there are only two chapters left in this story. We're almost there, guys! I will be hard at work working on chapter nineteen in the next couple of days/week. It's going to, hopefully, bring an end to the cliffhanger that is Danzo. What will happen? Only time will tell!

I want to thank you all for hanging in there with me throughout the development of this story, and I hope you all hang in there a little bit more!

Also, I am conjuring up a new story as we speak. The pairing will be ItachixSakura this time, and I wanted to know: would anyone read my next story if I were to write an ItachixSakura pairing? Let me know as a review, and I'll give you a (virtual) hug from one of the members! Next chapter I'll have more information about the overall plot. Possibly a summary for you guys. But let me know of any ideas you have!

Thanks, everyone! Happy reading!

Best,

Adoration (aka Ella)


	19. Meet Me On The Battlefield

" _No time for rest,  
No pillow for my head,  
No where to run from this,  
No way to forget._

 _Around the shadows creep,  
Like friends they cover me,  
Just wanna lay me down and finally get some sleep,  
We carry on through the storm._

 _Tired soldiers in this war,  
Remember what we're fighting for,  
Meet me on the battlefield."_

 _~Meet Me On The Battlefield, Svrcina_

* * *

 **A/N: Finally, here is chapter nineteen! For those who read my authors note, Meet Me On The Battlefield by Svrcina and I'd Love To Change The World by Jetta are the perfect songs to listen to while reading this chapter. Please enjoy the second to last chapter!**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen

"Alright, do you have everything?" Sakura asked, helping Amaya to pull on her cloak. It was small, black, with a red Akatsuki cloud directly in the center of her back, and fit her perfectly. Pain had had it made when Sakura had decided to become a full member.

"Yes, Momma," Amaya replied with a nod, her long hair in a tightly braided bun against her head.

Sakura nodded, looking around Amaya's room one last time to make sure her daughter in fact had everything she needed. Holding Raiden close to her chest, Sakura readjusted him in the carrier against her front. The carrier was amazing, because she could be active without her arms feeling like they were going to fall off. Raiden also loved the carrier, because he simply laid his head against Sakura's chest and fell asleep for most of the time. The other time he was awake and alert, paying attention to his surroundings.

Sakura sighed, nodding, and handed Amaya her backpack. "You'll have to carry your backpack since I have Raiden, okay?"

Amaya nodded.

"Alright. Let's go get something to eat really quick and then I think everyone will be ready to head out," Sakura murmured, ushering her daughter through her bedroom door. Sakura picked up her own backpack, which she slung over her shoulder carefully.

Closing Amaya's door, she followed her daughter down the hallway and towards the kitchen.

Sakura didn't want to make the trip. She didn't want to leave the comfort of this base, especially with Raiden being so young, but it had to be done. If it wasn't safe here, then she needed to usher her children somewhere where they _would_ be safe. Pain knew what he was doing, and she had to trust in him.

The kitchen was busy with the other members who were grabbing breakfast. Amaya paused in the doorway, Sakura almost running into her, before Sakura lightly pushed her daughter towards the bar.

"Here, sit and I'll get you some breakfast," she suggested, lifting Amaya up into the high bar chair.

Amaya nodded. "Cinnamon bagel, please."

"Banana and strawberries, too?" Sakura asked, to which Amaya nodded vigorously with a bright smile.

"Yes, please!"

Hidan snorted. "Don't you ever eat anything sugary and sweet and terrible for you?"

Amaya raised her eyebrow, shrugging her shoulders. "I had a mint last night."

Hidan rolled his eyes. "You are one boring kid."

Amaya rolled her eyes at his comments. "And you're one boring, immortal man."

"But I am immortal," Hidan pointed out, winking at the small child as he inhaled the sandwich in his hand.

Sakura placed the food in front of Amaya, grabbing a banana for herself and a handful of blueberries. The fridge here was surprisingly filled with healthy food. Pain had the food delivered often, so they hardly ever ran out of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Deidara sat down next to Amaya, eating a bowl of cereal. "Are you both ready to go?"

Sakura nodded. "Yep," she responded between bites, smiling at the blonde. "Are you still flying?"

Deidara nodded. "Yeah, so I can take Raiden's things with me if you want."

She'd managed to fit Raiden's things in a small pack, which consisted of the essentials and a few extra pairs of clothes. Pain had said they were only going to be gone for about a week, so she wasn't planning on being gone any longer than that. Any longer and she may lose her mind. She loved the bases, because they had been home for the longest time now, but she had such a routine here at the main base that it became disrupted when the layout changed.

She would have to get used to the moving around. She knew she had to, because it came with the territory, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"That would be perfect. It's just a small bag, Dei," Sakura explained, and he waved his hand in dismissal.

"Sakura, it could be five large duffels and I wouldn't care. I usually carry the bags, anyways, so the team can move faster. No big deal."

Konan peered down at Raiden, kissing his head as she passed to grab some kiwis from the fridge for a smoothie. "God, he is so adorable."

"Oh, I know," Sakura said, pride filling her voice as she perked up slightly. She knew he was an adorable baby, and was proud of it, too.

Konan laughed.

"So what's the plan, guys?" Sakura asked the general assembly, looking for a response from anyone.

"You all will be heading to the base settled between the land of fire and the rain village," Pain said from the archway, hands in his pants pockets. He reached up and crossed his arms then, leaning against the wall. "We haven't had any activity at that base in a while. It will be the safest bet."

Konan nodded out of the corner of her eye. "I agree. The trip shouldn't take more than a day if we move at a constant pace."

Sakura nodded in agreement, as well. It was a simple base that could accommodate everyone properly.

The rest of the group agreed in some way and went about their business, finishing breakfast and heading to grab their packs.

Sakura met Pain's eyes and sighed. He knew she didn't want to leave. He did, because she'd made it clear to him that she hadn't wanted to leave. But he was making her do this anyways. It was frustrating, but she had to keep reminding herself that she needed to be where Pain needed her. And that wasn't here for her or the children to get hurt. Pain would never forgive himself if that happened.

Sakura ate her blueberries and leaned against the counter, avoiding his gaze as he stared at her from across the room. When most of the members had departed, save for Deidara and Itachi, Pain made his way over to Sakura. It was hard to keep her eyes away from his when all she wanted to do was fall head over heels into him. She wanted to stay, because she _knew_ she would be safe while he was around.

Pain ran his hands up and down her arms, leaning down to place a kiss on top of Raiden's head. He then leaned to place a kiss on Sakura's lips, to which she eagerly accepted.

"Please don't be mad with me," he murmured, brushing the hair from her face.

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not," she sighed, and ran her hands up his chest. "I just know I would be even safer here by your side."

Pain nodded. "I need you with the group. I need to know you're safe with the children for now."

"I know, I know," Sakura repeated, and leaned further back into the counter. Pain placed his arms around her, caging her there.

"I love you," Pain murmured against her cheek, and Sakura smiled. Her heart stuttered ever so slightly, and her stomach did a few flips. It wasn't often that Pain spoke his feelings aloud. When he did, though, it always caught her off guard. "You know that, don't you?"

Sakura only smiled. "I know," she repeated once more, and meant it.

xxxXxxx

"Sandwich and blueberries," Sakura stated, handing Amaya her lunch. Sakura smiled, despite how tired she was. It had been awhile since she had traveled.

Her son had been doing fabulous on the trip. He hadn't made a peep, except for a little fussiness when he began to feel hungry. Which was why they were all now resting amongst the trees, hidden from the main path.

"Thanks, Momma," Amaya murmured, popping a few blueberries into her mouth followed by her peanut butter and jelly.

Sakura nodded, and held Raiden close to her chest. She'd decided to breast feed, especially after her experience with Amaya. Her breasts produced milk like there was no tomorrow, and there was no use in buying formula when there was a free alternative in her own body. She sat a little ways from the group, not in shame, but to gain a little privacy with her children.

No, Sakura was not afraid to breast feed in public. If people didn't like it, well, tough.

She wanted a little alone time with her son and daughter, though, so the rocks away from the group provided the perfect resting place.

They were moving on schedule, according to Konan. Which was good. Sakura would have thought they had been behind, seeing as they had left late this morning. It was good to hear they were ahead of schedule, though, because that meant they would reach the hideout even sooner than expected.

Great.

The sooner Sakura could get back on schedule with her children, the better.

Sighing, Sakura popped a few strawberries into her mouth and ate. It would do no good to starve herself, especially with what energy she had left. It was strange, because Sakura usually had so much energy. Today, though, she felt off. And that wasn't something she'd expected.

Maybe it was the move, and the stress. Maybe it was the fact she wasn't around Pain. Whatever it was, it was irritating.

"I'm done, Momma," Amaya announced moments later, pulling Sakura from her thoughts. Moments later, Sakura felt Raiden unlatch himself as he fell asleep. She smiled at both of her children, and nodded.

"Alright, throw your trash into my bag and we'll throw it away when we get to the base," Sakura instructed, balling up her own sandwich bag and bag of blueberries. "Let's go see about the others."

Gently placing Raiden back in his sling at her front, Sakura hugged him close and threw her pack over her shoulders.

"Lets—"

 _Snap_.

Sakura froze. A moment later she spun one-eighty and took in the surrounding forest. Blinking, she observed the trees, the leaves, the grass, and the bushes. Nothing moved except for the slow wind amongst the foliage.

Another moment, and then, "Sakura!"

Sakura cocked her head, jarred from her observation. "Yes?"

"We're ready to go," Konan announced, stepping up behind her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing," she reassured Konan and herself. "Nothing."

Raiden began to twist his hands, his face scrunching up before he let out a shrill cry. Sakura jumped, started by her son's crying, and gently swayed back and forth the soothe him.

"Shh," she cooed. "It's okay, bug-uh-boo. Shh, you're okay. You're okay."

He soon settled down, but Sakura's nerves were on edge. Raiden never cried. It was something that she wasn't used to. She checked to make sure the sling wasn't pinching him, and made her he hadn't bit his tongue or lip. Everything seemed fine.

As soon as he was calm, Sakura turned to Konan who was also looking around at their surroundings.

"I think we should go," Sakura murmured, following Konan's gaze.

Konan nodded.

"I think so, too."

xxxXxxx

Raiden never cried. He _never_ cried.

But he was crying now.

Sakura rolled over in bed, throwing the covers off of her. She picked up the baby monitor, making sure the sound wasn't static. It wasn't, because she knew her son's cry. It was unmistakable. A mother _knew_ her son's crying.

Why on earth would he be crying? What was—

" _Shh_ ," came a cooing through the baby monitor. Sakura froze, because the female voice didn't belong to Konan.

" _Why are you crying? We haven't even done anything yet,"_ whispered the voice.

A low laugh sounded, and this voice was a deeper tone. " _Yet_."

Sakura leapt up, running towards the door. Her feet couldn't move fast enough, her heart was beating out of her chest, and her mind was focused on one thing.

 _Raiden_.

He was in danger, and no one else seemed to know it.

 _Why?_

Why was he in danger? Who had been able to pass through the barrier?

'Who' seemed to be irrelevant at the moment, because it didn't seem to matter _who_ was talking to her child. It mattered that her child was safe in her arms, away from the voices who wanted to harm him.

She scrambled out of her bedroom and down the hall, slipping on the edge of the rug. The monitor still in her hands, she held it close to her ear. Listening. Waiting.

Raiden screamed, and Sakura knew he wasn't in his crib anymore.

" _No_ ," she hissed, and jumped to her feet.

" _Yes, Sakura_ ," Danzo said over the baby monitor, and Sakura screamed in frustration as she turned the corner to his bedroom. Why had she placed him in a bedroom so far away? Why?

 _Boom. Boom_.

Sakura hit the wall. Hard. Her head cracked against the plaster, and her body went limp for a moment as her vision blurred. Smoke filled the hallway above her and traveled down the hall.

She tried to move, she really did, but her sluggish movements didn't get much accomplished. Coming to her feet, Sakura swayed and eventually leaned into the wall. She had to get to Raiden's bedroom. If he had been in there when that explosion had gone off…

Sakura launched herself forward, stumbling once every few steps, as she held onto the wall for support. Her head hurt like a bomb had gone off inside of her own skull, but that didn't stop her feet from moving.

Once at his bedroom, Sakura poked her head inside the smoke filled room. The room was destroyed, with a large hole in the wall that they seemingly had escaped through.

' _Damnit_ ,' Sakura thought, entering the room to find Raiden's destroyed crib to be empty. It was good that he hadn't been there during the explosion and all, but now he was gone.

"Sakura, what the hell happened?" Konan shouted from the doorway behind her, running up behind Sakura. "Where's Raiden?"

Sakura spun to stare out through the large hole in the wall, jumping over the debris on the floor to get a good look at the surrounding perimeter. "Danzo was here," Sakura stated, and hopped out through the wall.

Turning the ring on her left hand with her finger, Sakura infused a small amount of chakra. She could feel him there in her conscious, just as if he had been standing right next to her. And he wasn't where he was supposed to be.

' _Sakura_ ,' Pain shouted in her mind, and Sakura allowed him to feel every ounce of the emotions running through her.

' _He's gone_ ,' she sent to Pain, along with the images in her mind of the explosion and Raiden's bedroom.

A slow rage coiled within her, and Sakura knew she wasn't the only one. ' _Danzo_ ,' Pain recognized, and snarled through their bond. 'I'm coming, Sakura.'

' _Meet me on the battlefield, Pain_ ,' Sakura told her significant other as her head turned sharply to the sounds of battle.

"Konan!" Sakura called, but the woman was already running towards the front of the base. Sakura quickly followed.

The front of the base was swarmed with men in ANBU uniforms. The other members were all engaged in their own battles, holding off the Konoha forces for as long as they could.

Sakura took in the scene, and allowed the link between she and Pain to see everything she saw.

Her eyes scanned and scanned, but Amaya was nowhere in sight. Hopefully she was still inside, where it was safe. Sakura knew in that moment, though, that nowhere was safe at the moment.

"Konan, where is Amaya?" Sakura shouted, running just behind the woman.

Konan shook her head. "I don't know, Sakura."

Blinking, panic set in. Raiden was missing, and now so was her daughter. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't.

' _Calm down_ ,' Pain's words murmured through her mind. ' _Calm down and check your surroundings one more time.'_

Sakura took in a large breath, stopping to do as Pain instructed. Sakura couldn't see Amaya on the ground, but…

Suddenly, she looked up and smiled a knowing grin. "Good save, Deidara," she murmured to herself as the blonde flew above the battlefield, Amaya holding on tight behind him. She knew that she could always count on Deidara to watch over Amaya when she wasn't there.

Now to find Raiden.

Pulse racing, her eyes tracked every figure on the battlefield. If the figure didn't hold her son, then her eyes moved on. He had to be here. He couldn't be…

Sakura couldn't and wouldn't even think the word again.

Movement in the trees caught her eye, and Sakura couldn't help but lock eyes with a familiar face. His mask lifted slightly, it revealed just enough of his face to jog many memories of their time together.

Taking off at a run, Sakura abandoned the battle at hand to face a familiar face in the woods. Reaching the cover of trees, Sakura smiled when he took his entire mask off.

"Shikamaru!" she hissed, pushing at his chest lightly and chastising like. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he hissed, anger dripping from his words. "What the hell happened, Sakura? One minute you're with Sasuke in Konoha, and the next we're being told that you're a rogue shinobi on our hit list."

Sakura pursed her lips and sighed, shaking her head. "It's a long story, Shikamaru. One I don't have time to tell you right now."

Shikamaru groaned. "Well, you better make time, Sakura, because we're supposed to be here for you along with any other Akatsuki we can get rid of."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "You will not be getting rid of any Akatsuki while I'm here, Shikamaru," she hissed, her turn to infuse anger into her tone. "Not while I'm here."

"What do you mean? These are S-class criminals. They need to be taken out," Shikamaru argued, and Sakura crossed her arms.

"These happen to be my friends and chosen family," Sakura said, taking a step back from Shikamaru. "What do you want, Shikamaru, because I could be looking for my son right now."

Shikamaru looked stunned for a moment before he regained his composure. "Start talking, Sakura, because I need to know if I can trust you."

Sakura shook her head. "You should already know the answer to that, Shikamaru," she whispered, a tear dripping down her cheek.

Silence. Shikamaru shifted his stance and placed the kunai he had drawn back in his pouch. He shook his head. "If I trust you, then I'm committing treason."

Sakura nodded. "I know," she whispered, and glanced back at the battlefield. "But I need you to trust me, Shika. Amaya need's you to trust me, and so does Raiden."

Shikamaru was silent for a moment more before he put his hand on Sakura's shoulder, and when she turned back he was grinning down at her. "Raiden, eh?" he asked, closing his eyes. "What can I do to help?"

Sakura smiled, and looked back at the battlefield. "I need to find Danzo. Amaya is safe, but Danzo has my son. If I find him, I find Raiden. Pain is on his way."

"Pain, I take it, is Raiden's father?" Shikamaru asked, a grimace on his lips. "We have intel on him. The only reason Danzo made this strike was because Pain wouldn't be here. He's hoping to get out without anyone noticing. This battle is a diversion for him to escape."

Sakura spun on her feet. "Then I need to get to him now, Shikamaru. I need to do what I can for my son."

Shikamaru nodded and motioned to the tree line. "Stay low and follow me. Kiba is on the battle field. I'll let him know to pull back. We'll help you, Sakura. Your teammates will have your back."

Sakura paused, putting her hand on Shikamaru's arm. "Why, Shikamaru? I'm a rogue ninja now. Like you said, you could be considered a traitor."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's such a drag pretending to understand why you left. The truth is, we don't know why you left. We _want_ to know why you left, and we want to understand it. Until then, I'm still on your side. We all are here. Danzo made one mistake in all of this."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, blinking. "Which was?"

Shikamaru smiled. "We never turn our backs on each other. The rookie nine will be loyal to each other until the very end."

xxxXxxx

Shikamaru, true to his word, followed through in leading the way towards Danzo. They left Kiba to sort everything out on the battlefield, and Sakura hoped that the Akatsuki would allow them to pull back.

Sakura could hear Raiden's crying from their position in the trees. Danzo was situated near the river, flanked by two other shinobi. Sakura assumed they were the two other shinobi who had managed to infiltrate the base and steal Raiden away.

"Where are your wolves?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow.

She'd let the wolves roam freely since she'd come to the Akatsuki. Back in the village she had done the same, because she wasn't being sent out on missions at the time. Now she needed them, and they'd come when called.

"You didn't sense them?" Sakura asked, grinning. "You're getting rusty, old man."

Sakura motioned below them, and Shikamaru blinked and blinked again. The wolves were two times their normal size, thanks to the jutsu Sakura had used to enhance their abilities. Ookami, Garou, Sunao, Hanta, and Urufu stood at attention, ready to attack when she gave the signal.

Sakura threw her hand out, and the wolves spread out amongst the foliage.

"You always were dangerous with those wolves," Shikamaru murmured. "No one wanted to mess with you because of them. They trust you explicitly."

Sakura grinned, but the crying from the riverbank only got louder.

Sakura's eyes honed in on Danzo's tight grip, and her response was immediate.

"No more waiting," she hissed, eyes trained on her son. "This ends tonight."

Jumping to the forest floor, Sakura found herself striding just beyond the tree line. Her wolves flanked her on either side, ready to jump and defend their alpha.

"Give me back my son, Danzo," Sakura shouted from the tree line, a hint of desperation in her tone as his cries increased. The poor boor couldn't cry like that for much longer or he was going to be hoarse.

Danzo turned, holding Raiden in his grip. "Look who finally decided to show up," Danzo said. "This poor boy has been crying for the longest time without you. He won't be crying for much longer, though."

Sakura ground her teeth, clenching her fist. She could feel Shikamaru land at her back. "Give him back, Danzo!" Shikamaru shouted. "You came here for Sakura, not for the children. Knock it off."

"And you led her right to me," Danzo called to Shikamaru, smirking. "Thank you, Shikamaru."

"Because I asked him to," Sakura interjected before Shikamaru could reply. "Give him back. Isn't it me you want?"

"It is, but I might as well eliminate your children as well. I made a mistake allowing that Kohaku brat to survive. I won't make that mistake again," Danzo motioned to the two shinobi standing beside him. "Take her while I deal with this little vermin."

Sakura's eyes widened as Danzo lifted Raiden up by one leg, a kunai in the other hand.

" _No_!" Sakura shouted, arms stretching out. As soon as she moved, though, the other two shinobi did as well. She could feel Shikamaru at her back stiffen, and move as well.

"Here they come," he warned, but Sakura already knew that.

Gathering chakra into her fist, she quickly bent and hit the ground. Earth shattering, the ground creaking, she was able to shake one of them enough to lose balance. Shikamaru quickly dealt with him, though, leaving the female for Sakura. Rushing her, Sakura missed with her first punch.

' _Damnit_ ,' she thought, but was quickly distracted as Danzo held her son up to eye level.

"Danzo, stop!" she shouted, and quickly received a knock in the jaw so strong she heard a crack.

Flying backwards, Sakura held her jaw in pain and jumped to her feet just in time to miss another punch from the woman. Snarling, Sakura caught her foot and tripped her up enough to send her flying to the ground where Ookami was on her in an instant. Sunao followed.

Which left the wide expanse of space between she and Danzo as the only obstacle she had to conquer. Rushing to her feet, Sakura pushed chakra into her feet as she raced across the dirt embankment.

'No, no, no,' she thought as she raced towards Raiden, his screams sending waves of guilt running through her body. Her heart wrenched, her stomach churned, and her mind froze. She wasn't going to reach him in time. There was simply no way.

There had to be a way.

She had almost lost her son twice. Once to his umbilical cord, and the other due to her own life almost being lost. Either way, she wouldn't have been able to hold him alive. She was going to see her son alive again, and she was going to make sure Danzo was punished for what he was doing to her family.

Danzo slashed out with the kunai, and there simply wasn't enough time to reach her son.

" _Raiden_!" she screeched, her heart seeming to stop. " _No_!"

But he was there. One minute the kunai was inches away from her son, and the next he was out of Danzo's grip and into the safe arms of his father. The next moment Sakura lost sight of them, but she could feel him just to the left of her.

Sakura rushed Pain, arms out and ready to receive Raiden. "Raiden," Sakura hissed, her son screaming his little lungs out. "Hush, baby, Momma's here."

The kunai had managed to nick his chin, and blood rushed down his chin and neck. Sakura quickly wiped the blood away with her shirt, her eyes trained on him and nothing else. He was safe, otherwise, and that's all that mattered.

Danzo, on the other hand, was not.

When she eventually pulled her eyes away from her son, Pain's eyes were narrowed on Danzo. With the other two shinobi down, Shikamaru stood a little ways behind them. Frozen.

"Sakura—" Shikamaru started, but Pain spoke then.

"Do not speak, Konoha shinobi," he snarled, his eyes never leaving Danzo. "The only voice I need to hear right now is the voice of the man who dare make my son bleed."

Danzo narrowed his uncovered eye and sneered. "If only he had bled more," Danzo shouted, his resolve slowly dissolving.

Shikamaru's words quickly ran back to her. ' _The only reason Danzo made this strike was because Pain wouldn't be here.'_ Sakura knew then that Danzo was slowly unraveling, knowing that he wouldn't escape the battlefield with his life.

"I don't think you know your place here," Pain spoke, and Danzo's body stiffened. Holding out his hand, Pain narrowed his eyes and Danzo was quickly pulled forward at backbreaking speed. Sakura heard a crack as his body was flung forward into Pain's grasp.

Wincing, Danzo cried out. With Pain's hand around his neck, though, his voice was quickly subdued.

"Why are you here?" Pain asked, his eyes still narrowed. His body rigid. He was furious, as was Sakura. How _dare_ Danzo come and invade their lives. Again. " _Speak_."

"That child is a disgrace," Danzo spat, eyes never leaving Pain's. "He is a disgrace to our village. He is the product of a traitor, and therefore is dead to the world. No one will ever accept him. As for that other child, she is a murderous legacy of her bloodline that I worked years to destroy. If I had known she would develop her father's abilities, I would have killed her and her traitor mother years ago."

Pain's grip tightened, and Danzo choked on his breath. Blood ran down his lip as he tried to breathe, but he only managed a wheezing sound. His hands clung to Pain's, his eyes wide.

"You have no idea what it's like to devote yourself to your village. You left your village a long time ago as a rogue, and have done nothing for them since. You're scum of the earth, and all deserve to be killed on sight," Danzo choked, eyes jumping from Pain to Sakura. "You deserve nothing in life."

"On the contrary," Pain spoke, his voice tight and controlled. "I've done countless deeds for my village. Currently, I lead them in their venture back to stability. I have funded their reconstruction, and am currently helping with their financial stability."

Pain tightened his grip as Danzo tried to speak, cutting off his voice. Pain's eyes narrowed even further, and Sakura took a step back. She had never seen such malice on her significant other's face before, and nothing compared to the sight. It was magnificent.

"You know, you Konoha shinobi have a closed minded way of looking at things," Pain whispered. "You look at the world as something for your taking, and you try to kill anything in your way. Anything or anyone who differs from you is the enemy, and anyone weaker than you is deserving of death. Your ignorance will be the death of you, and the world will be better for it."

"I will rid this world of you vermin," Danzo finally screeched, eyes wide. "One day the village will see me for who I am, a protector. I protect the village. I'm the only one who ever has from you who hide in the shadows. Without me, the village will burn!"

Sakura huffed, and narrowed her eyes. "The village will continue on, Danzo," she spoke, her voice dignified and one with Pain's. "And with your death, it will be better for it."

As she finished, Danzo's mouth opened to speak, but Pain quickly closed his fist. As Danzo's throat cords collapsed, Pain quickly snapped his neck.

The life slowly drained out of his eyes, and with his death Sakura's fears were also put to rest.

With his death, she was free to tell her story.

Pain dropped his lifeless form to the ground, and turned to face Sakura. Her eyes were trained on their son, though, who was quickly settling. His little hiccups came and went, but his wide eyes were trained on nothing but his mother as she cooed, "Hush, my baby."

Eventually he grabbed one of Sakura's outstretched fingers and closed his eyes, calm washing over his demeanor.

Looking up at Pain, Sakura smiled. "You made it."

"I did," he replied, bringing a hand to brush a strand of hair from her eyes. He wiped the blood that had trickled down from her lip, and cupped her neck with his hand. "I'm here."

Sakura nodded, tears rushing to her eyes as she fell into Pain's grip. Wrapping her free arm around him, Sakura pulled him close as he did the same to her.

"You're here," she sobbed, and finally ventured to think of what could have happened if he hadn't shown up when he did. She hadn't been able to save her son. She had been useless.

"Shh," Pain hushed, and stroked her hair. "You protected Amaya. You protected our son. You did. And don't think you did nothing, because you would have reached him. You would have, because that's who you are. You are an excellent mother who will always tend to the needs of her children and husband."

Sakura froze, and Pain held a fond look at his face when she met his eyes. "If you'll have me, that is," he murmured, stroking her hair one strand at a time.

Sakura huffed, and finally smiled up at her significant—no, future husband.

"Finally," she whispered as his forehead touched hers, and his lips lightly grazed hers. He gently took her hand, sliding the ring off of her right hand which held Raiden, and onto her ring finger that rested against his chest.

Sakura smiled, despite the carnage around her, and finally glanced over at Shikamaru who stood there quietly.

Clearing her throat, Sakura motioned to Shikamaru. "Pain, this is Shikamaru, a good friend from Konoha," she murmured, holding Raiden close to her body. "He helped me locate Raiden in all of the mess."

Pain nodded, pulling Sakura into the curve of his body. "Kiba pointed me in your direction when I stopped at the battle field," Pain explained, narrowing his eyes. "Which may have been the only reason I didn't kill him on the spot."

Shikamaru swallowed, eyes wide, lips quivering. He managed a smile, waving slightly as she stepped forward and stuck his hand out. "Shikamaru Nara," he introduced himself, and Pain took his grip with his own.

"Pain," he replied, and released Shikamaru's grip. "Thank you for your help in saving my child. Your trust and reliability is not lost on me."

Shikamaru nodded, and shrugged his shoulders. "It was nothing, really."

Pain looked back down at Sakura and smirked. "Well, you somehow managed to stop the fighting on the battlefield, and find our son before I even managed to get close to intervening. You, woman, are amazing."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "All Shikamaru and Kiba, no thanks to me."

"Sakura, you underestimate how much the village relied and still relies on you," Shikamaru stated, and stepped closer to the couple. "Those shinobi know you, and are willing to trust you with their life. Those shinobi were there when you and Kohaku were in charge, and they will always follow you. You did that, not me. You earned their trust. Not me."

Sakura thought for a moment, and nodded. Itachi had been right. With the right people, and with the truth, she had managed to pull off a miracle.

And alongside her fiancé, heading back to the battlefield, her son safely tucked into her arms, she couldn't ask for anything more than that.

* * *

Well, there it is! Chapter Nineteen! I hope I resolved everything for everyone, despite what Sakura's friends think. That's coming up. The last chapter is next, so prepare yourselves for the end!

Again, I want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me. It's honestly been a pleasure writing for you guys.

ALSO! I know I said last chapter that I would have a small summary of my upcoming story for you guys, and here it is:

 ** _Love Will Leave A Mark_**

 ** _Sakura Haruno is the last girl to be distracted on the battlefield, but when one fallen shinobi catches her eye she can't help but stop and save him. Itachi Uchiha is an S-class criminal, apart of the Akatsuki, and brother of her long lost comrade. Sakura finds the pull to save him irresistible, if only to capture him for Konoha and turn him over to the interrogation squad. When the tables are turned and Sakura is the one who is captured, the real battle begins. In enemy territory, lost to her teammates and teachers, Sakura will find that some battles are lost before they even begin. Love will leave a mark, and there is hardly anything Sakura can do to fight it._**

There ya go! I hope it sounds interesting. Drop me a line in the review box to let me know what you think and if you'll read, and also if you have any ideas.

Also, review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Please!? Even a few words of encouragement is helpful to me! Your reviews keep me going!

Thanks everyone for being so darn awesomely AWESOME!

Love everyone!

Best,

Adoration (AKA Ella!)


	20. Sweetest Devotion

_"With your loving, there ain't nothing,_  
 _That I can't adore,_  
 _The way I'm running, with you, honey,_  
 _Is we can break every low,_  
 _I find it funny that you're the only,_  
 _One I never looked for,_  
 _There is something in your loving,_  
 _That tears down my walls._

 _I wasn't ready then, I'm ready now,_  
 _I'm heading straight for you,_  
 _You will only be eternally,_  
 _The one that I belong to._

 _The sweetest devotion,_  
 _Hitting me like an explosion,_  
 _All of my life, I've been frozen,_  
 _The sweetest devotion I've known."_

 _~Sweetest Devotion, Adele_

* * *

Chapter Twenty

"I'm still angry with you."

Sakura sighed as Pain's arms encircled her waist, coming to rest against her flat belly. She hadn't gained much weight while pregnant with Raiden, so it had been easy to slim down in the two months following his birth.

"I know you are," Pain murmured into the crook of her neck, placing a few kisses there for good measure.

"Extremely angry," Sakura breathily replied, eyes narrowed as she gripped the back of the couch and stared into the fire blazing away in the fireplace. Their bedroom was a comfortable temperature due to the fire he had lit, and had been the reason she had shed her robe. Dressed scantily in a black lace and satin night gown that barely reached her thighs, Sakura knew she was tempting fate with Pain.

His hands drew light, tantalizing circles against her stomach and hips. It was amazing that she'd managed to stay still this long. Pressing herself back into him, Sakura could feel his arousal against her back side. She grinned.

Spinning in his grasp, Sakura slid her hands up his chest. Arms coming to encircle his neck, she pulled herself up until her lips met with his. Strong arms lifted her up against him, setting her on the back of the couch while her legs wrapped around his waist.

Small hands threaded their way through his spiked, orange hair and gently pulled. Groaning, Pain gently pulled himself away from Sakura and cupped her face.

"Please don't be angry with me," he whispered against her lips, eyes pleading, and body in need.

Sakura shook her head. "You left me," she replied breathily, and turned her head away from his. Scratching her nails down his bare chest, Sakura grinned when he shivered and groaned in response.

"I didn't leave you indefinitely," Pain said, his eyes trying to, unsuccessfully, catch hers. "Sakura."

Sakura gently looked him over, finally meeting his pleading gaze, and sighed. "You made me leave," she stated, hands pressed against his hard, muscular stomach. "I don't know if I can forgive you for that."

Pain hummed, catching the tentative playfulness in her eyes, and gently gripped her hips. Pulling her close, he grinned and kissed her smack dab on the lips. "You will. Don't forget who showed up to save you."

Sakura rolled her eyes and lightly pushed at his chest. "Yeah, yeah," she acknowledged, and settled her gaze him. "Don't get cocky."

Pain smirked, and gently took her hand in his. Pulling up, he kissed the wedding ring on her finger and mischievously looked her over.

"The things I could do to you right now," Pain murmured against the back of her hand, and Sakura shivered at the thoughts that ran through her mind.

"The things I want you to do to me," she murmured in a hushed tone, and squeaked when Pain lifted her up against him suddenly.

Giggling, Sakura again wrapped her arms around his neck and held herself up. "Pain," she murmured, lips against his. "What are you doing?"

Laying her down against the covers of their four-poster bed, Pain devouringly looked her over. "Nothing of consequence," he replied, hands running up her body and into her hair.

She giggled again, sighing in content, and pulled at his left hand. Taking in the ring that lay against his ring finger, Sakura smiled gently.

Kissing his ring, she threaded her hand with his and admired the pair of rings together. "You're mine," Sakura whispered, meeting his hungry gaze.

"Mm," Pain hummed, and kissed the back of her hand in return. Nipping at the knuckles, he replied, "And you are mine."

xxxXxxx

Sakura stared out the large window to her right, enjoying the clouds as they rolled in to partially cover the moon. Moonlight seeped around the clouds and in through the window, splashing the floor in pale white light.

"When would you like to leave tomorrow?" Pain asked, lips against her shoulder. She hadn't realized he was still awake. Despite his strong arms wrapped around her, she hadn't noticed the change from sleep and awake.

"We'll need to get an early start," Sakura murmured, hugging one of his arms to her chest. "They're expecting us by noon."

She could feel him nod against her shoulder as he placed a kiss there, and gently pulled her closer to him under the covers. Sakura sighed in content.

"Are you nervous?" Pain asked, and Sakura lightly shrugged.

"I think I am, but I'm more dreading tomorrow than anything," she replied.

"And here I thought you would be happy to see your village again," Pain murmured.

Sakura shook her head, and gently turned so she was laying on her back. Pain was laying on his side, hand supporting his head.

"You know, I thought I would be excited, too, but tomorrow is the last time I'll see my village as a welcomed guest. And in reality, I never really wanted to return. Not with everything that happened with Danzo. Now my memories are soured, because of the lies. I was living in a lie, and now that I'm free… I don't want to return," Sakura mused, eyes closed.

"Then why are you going back?" Pain asked, gently pushing for her thoughts.

Sakura shook her head. "Because the Hidden Leaf is my village, and I have a responsibility to my friends. Danzo may have betrayed me, but my friends never turned their backs on me. Despite my rogue status, Kiba and Shikamaru never stopped believing in me. And neither did the others, according to Shikamaru. I owe them an explanation, even if I need to do this more for myself than for them. I never wanted to disappear like Sasuke, and they deserve more than the stories that Danzo had spun."

Pain nodded, and traced light patterns against her belly.

"And it would be a relief to see everyone again. Amaya can see her aunts and uncles, and everyone can meet Raiden. And you," Sakura added, smile reaching her eyes. "I am excited to show you off, you know."

Pain huffed, and rolled his eyes. "As it should be," he teased, and Sakura not-so-gently punched his arm in chastisement.

"I am nervous, Pain, because of everything that has passed. So much has happened, and I feel like I've left my friends in the dust," Sakura said.

"Well, use this time to catch them up. Don't be afraid of their reactions. Sakura, this is your life now. This is the life you have chosen, yes?"

Sakura nodded.

"Then you shouldn't be nervous to bring them up to speed. If they truly are your friends, they will respect your decisions. Whether your decisions are right or wrong in their eyes, they should respect them none-the-less."

Sakura nodded once more, and turned to look out the window. The moon was bright and glorious once more, without a cloud in view.

Sakura smiled, because Pain was right. These were the decisions she'd made, and, no matter what, she was proud of them.

xxxXxxx

Standing at the front entrance to Konoha was surreal. Never had Sakura thought she would stand there again willingly, but that's exactly where she found herself. Never did she think she would bring Amaya back here, but she had. Now that Danzo was gone, she was free from his lies and deceitful nature. The danger was gone. For now.

Pain stood at her side, clad in the same plain, black cloak that she and Amaya wore. Hoods up, Sakura could feel the eyes on them as they entered through the gate. Tsunade had given strict instructions for their entrance. No Akatsuki cloaks and no stops along the way to the Hokage's tower where they were meeting everyone. Sakura turned to Pain, Raiden against her chest in his sling, and nodded. Pain, in return, acknowledged the small signal, and followed as she leapt up onto the nearest rooftop.

Sakura led the way as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop on the quickest path towards their destination. No dilly dallying. Sakura may not be a student of Tsunade's anymore, but the woman never failed to scare Sakura out of her skin.

"Momma, how long are we staying in Konoha?" Amaya asked as they entered the Hokage's tower, her small voice resonating in the empty hallway. Sakura took her daughter's hand, leading she and Pain up the stairs to the conference room on the top level.

"Just for today, baby. We'll have to leave tomorrow," Sakura replied.

Amaya paused for a moment, and then pulled her hand out of her mother's grasp. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the conference room door, and she took a few stumbling steps backwards into Pain.

"I don't want to go in there," Amaya whispered, looking up at Pain with pleading eyes. "It could be a trap. Please don't make me go in there."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she held a hand to Raiden as she bent down to look her daughter in the eye. "Baby, it's okay. Everyone is here to see us. Uncle Shikamaru is in there. Come—"

"No!" Amaya almost shouted, shaking her head. Her eyes were wide, scared.

Sakura look from Amaya to Pain, who held up his hand. Sakura stood as Pain kneeled down, pushing some of Amaya's hair out of her eyes. "I would never let anything happen to you, your mother, or your brother. You know that, don't you, Amaya?" he asked, and Amaya hesitantly nodded.

"Yes," she replied in a small voice.

"Okay then," Pain said. "Would you like me to carry you?"

Sakura smiled slightly when Amaya nodded, and Pain lifted her into his arms. Hiding her face in his neck, Amaya gripped onto his cloak for dear life it seemed.

Sakura rubbed her hand up and down Amaya's back, and sighed. Amaya had been through so much that it pained Sakura to see her daughter in fear of this moment. She had noticed the change in behavior as soon as they entered Konoha, where Amaya had become stiff and rigid.

Despite his death, the idea of Danzo's influence terrified Amaya.

"It's okay, baby," Sakura whispered, pushing the hood from her head.

Sakura could hear voices from beyond the door, talking, laughing, and chattering. Smiling to herself, Sakura grabbed Pain's hand and squeezed. Needing a little bit of strength, she looked up at Pain and hesitantly smiled.

Pain leaned down and pressed his lips lightly to Sakura's. "It's going to be okay."

Sakura nodded, and pushed through the conference room doors.

Windows covered every part of the wall and allowed natural light to spill into the room. A hush fell over the occupants as the door opened, and Sakura had to take a deep breath before she looked up.

Tsunade sat at the head of the table, Shizune at her side. Along each side of the table sat the members of the rookie nine—Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru, Shino, Hinata, Kiba, Naruto, and Sasuke. They all stood when she entered, and Sakura couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, guys," she greeted, and could feel the tears prickle the back of her eyes. She smiled, meeting each one of their gazes, and when she finally met Tsunade's gaze she felt tears run down her cheeks.

Tsunade came around the long table to embrace Sakura in a tight hug, which Sakura returned with vigor. She didn't think she had missed her friends all that much, but she had. Despite not feeling at home in Konoha, Sakura would always have a place in her heart for the people she had grown up with.

"Sakura," Tsunade whispered, and held her at arm's length. "You look incredibly different."

Sakura smiled and pushed back her waves of long hair. "Well, a lot has happened," she replied and stepped aside. "Tsunade, everyone, this is Pain, my husband."

Pain stepped forward, pushing his and Amaya's hoods off of their heads.

Tsunade appeared to take him in, and, eventually, turned on her heels. "So we finally meet. You are the infamous Pain, leader of the Akatsuki, and the man who killed Jiraiya."

Sakura flinched, because she really had managed to push those facts aside until now. Pain was so different in her presence that it hadn't even crossed her mind that this would be a sour meeting between her former mentor and current spouse.

"He is also my husband and father of my son," Sakura countered, eyes slightly narrowed as Tsunade's eyes snapped back towards her. "You don't have to like it, but I made my decisions."

Tsunade pursed her lips, but she finally nodded and sat.

It was as if someone had flipped a light switch. Sakura's friends were on her immediately, as if Tsunade had requested the first word with her, and now the others were getting a chance to see their friend.

"Sakura! We missed you," Naruto exclaimed, about to throw his arms around her when she threw her hands out for him to stop. Sakura gently lifted Raiden from his sling at her front, and smiled at her friends.

"Oh, my God, he is so adorable," Ino exclaimed, pushing past Naruto. "Please, can I hold him?"

Sakura nodded, and gently passed her sleeping son to Ino. "His name is Raiden. Isn't he, though?"

Sakura turned to Naruto, then, and held her arms out for his hug. "Now you can hug me, idiot," she jokingly said, smile bright.

Grinning, Naruto picked Sakura up and spun her around. "I'm so glad you're safe," Naruto exclaimed, setting her down next to Sasuke. "We looked all over for you, Shikamaru and I. Kiba, too. Well, we all did, really. You just… disappeared. You and Amaya. What happened, Sakura?"

Sakura smiled when Sasuke wrapped his arm around her, embracing her in a gentle hug.

"I'll tell you all soon, Naruto. For right now, can I hug everyone?"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair, and nodded, grinning.

"As for you," Sakura said, eyes narrowed at Sasuke. Poking him in the chest, she whispered, "Itachi told me that he sent you here to look after me and Amaya. Now that I know that, I want to say thank you."

Sasuke looked shocked for a moment, before smiled. "Anytime, Sakura. You should know that."

Sakura nodded. "I do."

"How is, uh, Ilona?" Sasuke asked in a hush. "Is she okay?"

Sakura nodded, grinning. "Oh, yes. Your girlfriend ended up saving my life, so thanks for lending her to us."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes. I lent her to you. No problem," Sasuke sarcastically said, and then turned to Pain. "I truly appreciate what you've done, though. If I can ever be of service, please let me know."

Pain nodded. "Duly noted."

Sakura made her rounds, then. Hugging, greeting, sharing a laugh or two. Introducing her husband, her son.

"Uncle Shikamaru!" Amaya exclaimed, and wiggled out of Pain's arms. Running to Shikamaru, Sakura couldn't help but smile at her daughter's enthusiasm. Her fear from earlier had shaken Sakura to the core, but now that Amaya could see that the meeting wasn't a trap Sakura could relax.

"Hey, small fry!" Shikamaru greeted, kneeling and holding his arms out to embrace Amaya. "How've you been?"

"Great," Amaya said, hugging him tightly around the neck.

"You know, we've all missed having you around," Shikamaru said, and Amaya giggled.

"Really?" she asked, and looked around at her Konoha family.

"We have," Ino said, bouncing Raiden up and down. "Especially those ice cream dates."

"Oh, those were the best," Chouji said.

"Right?" Amaya agreed, and ran over to hug Ino, as well. She eventually made her way around the room, hugging everyone that she could.

Shikamaru stood, walking towards Ino. "May I?" he asked Sakura, his arms extended towards Raiden.

Sakura laughed. "You all have permission to hold my son, you know. You don't have to keep asking."

Coming to stand next to Pain, Sakura watched as her friends took turns holding her son. Some made small talk with Amaya, others with Sakura herself, and Naruto even managed to make small talk with Pain.

Tsunade eventually clapped her hands. "Alright, everyone. Introductions over, let's give Sakura a chance to explain her story."

And so she did. Eventually everyone sat in their seats, Tsunade having the chance to hold Raiden. Pain sat at her side, holding her hand under the table and squeezing ever so often in encouragement. So Sakura told her story, and allowed her friends to do with it what they would.

It was freeing to finally speak openly about the past year, because she hadn't had a hope that she would ever be seen by Konoha as a reputable shinobi again. She would always be a rogue. Now, that wasn't true. Now, she could trust those closest to her to know her truth and hold her to it. Now, no lies could touch her.

Itachi had been right. Telling the truth gave her power beyond measure, and no amount of rage she held would ever be as powerful as that.

When she was done, which seemed like ages later, silence ensued.

"Danzo did all of that?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

"I knew something was wrong with that man," Shikamaru stated, shaking his head. "I just never knew he'd take his delusions so far."

"I don't think anyone suspected him," Tsunade commented, holding Raiden in her arms. "Least of all me, and for that I am sorry, Sakura."

Sakura waved her hand. "Nothing can be changed, and I hold nothing against any of you. Danzo is dead, now, and with it died the lies he spread of me and my family. His lies rest with him, and I trust you all to know the truth."

Tsunade inclined her head, as did the others in their own way.

"I have made my decisions, though, and I am proud of them. I will not be coming back to the Leaf, and I will remain a rogue shinobi. My choices have labeled me as such, and I will not leave my family to gain a title back," Sakura stated.

"We figured as much," Shikamaru said, leaning back in his chair.

Tsunade nodded. "Shikamaru is right. I had saved hope that you would return to us, but you have made your decisions, and I will respect them to the best of my ability."

"Now that Sakura has told you her story, and we have gained your trust, I have a few things I would like to discuss with you, Lady Hokage," Pain said suddenly, leaning up in his seat.

Sakura looked up at him, surprised, because he hadn't mentioned anything to her about his words. What was he planning?

Tsunade, leaning forward, nodded for him to continue.

"I would like to propose an alliance between the Akatsuki and Konoha. Nothing public. But, seeing as Sakura still cares for her former village, I see no benefit in attacking this village or anything involving this village," Pain stated, and Tsunade's eyes went wide.

"I had my doubts about having Naruto here with you, but I see you have no intention of capturing him," Tsunade said.

"Yes, it would be nice to have the Kyuubi's power, but I will not sacrifice the relationship I hold with my wife for the sake of power," Pain replied, gaze drifting from Tsunade, to Naruto, and then back to Tsunade.

Tsunade was silent for a moment before she spoke. "This alliance would be between the people in this room and the Akatsuki, and no one else."

"Yes," Pain responded.

Tsunade inclined her head. "That is a powerful hand to play, Pain," she said, and looked around the room.

"Yes, it is. But an alliance forged with the Leaf is one that I want. Not only for the sake of my wife, but for the sake of my members and cause. The will of fire is strong within the people in this room, that I have seen in battle. I believe, together, we can build a relationship that will carry us towards our goals."

"Which are?" Tsunade asked.

"Something to be discussed at another time, when the need arises," Pain responded, and inclined his head.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair. "Well?"

The room was quiet, but no one rejected the proposed alliance.

"An alliance with the Akatsuki would provide us protection," Shikamaru observed. "And it would allow for a farther reach when it came to missions outside of the Land of Fire. I see nothing wrong with it."

Tsunade nodded, as did everyone else. "Agreed, then, Pain. An alliance shall be forged between the Leaf and the Akatsuki. What else would you like to discuss?"

Pain nodded. "My children will not be rogue shinobi unless they choose to be so. They have done nothing wrong in all of this, and have been victims thus far. When the time comes I would like them to be able to take the Chunin exams, and have opportunities here is the Leaf. I want them to have the most in life, and I don't want our status as rogue shinobi to hold them back."

Tsunade nodded, and looked down at Raiden as she spoke. "I will personally see to it that Amaya and Raiden have the same opportunities as the other children in the village. But, may I ask, why not the Rain country?"

"My country is still rebuilding, and can be dangerous. Here, I know they will be safe. With all of you, I know I can trust the safety of my children to everyone here," Pain said, and met Sakura's baffled eyes.

Sakura stared at her husband in shock, and squeezed his hand under the table. Pain was undeniably the most shocking and sweetest thing in the room right now, due to the level of devotion it took to ask favors like he was. Asking favors meant he was in debt, and Pain being in debt to Tsunade could be a dangerous thing.

Tsunade nodded. "Done."

"Lastly, I would like to discuss the return of Ilona Rinata. Don't get me wrong, we enjoy having her, but the threat against her is now gone. Her life is here, and she has asked me to plead on her part for her return," Pain said, leaning back in his chair.

Tsunade nodded, and Sasuke sat up in his chair. "No ill-will will befall Ilona Rinata upon her return. She is free to do as she pleases, and all charges against her will be dropped."

Sakura smiled, and winked at Sasuke. Pain had come through on multiple things, and so had Tsunade. Things were falling into place for them, after all.

"I believe that's all I have to discuss, unless my wife has anything else to share?" Pain said, looking to Sakura.

Sakura shook her head, and smiled at Tsunade. "Thank you," she spoke, to which Tsunade inclined her head.

"I love you as a daughter, Sakura, and will always treat you as such," Tsunade said, holding Raiden close to her as she stood and walked around the table to Sakura. Sakura stood, then, and took her son from Tsunade.

"You both are allowed in the village for the night, but must be gone by tomorrow at noon. I will have Shizune draw up the papers for the alliance, and we will discuss the matter another time. For now, we must allow the whispers to subside and the stories to wind down. Until then, I hope you can find solace outside of the village."

Sakura nodded, smiling, and looked around at her friends who she trust explicitly. "I understand. Thank you, all."

"Always, Sakura," Naruto replied. "Always."

xxxXxxx

Sakura stood on top of the Hokage heads, taking a deep breath of fresh air into her lungs. "Why are you so full of surprises?"

Pain laughed behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and kissed her there, her heart stuttering for only a moment.

"Because I want what is best for my family," he whispered, and nipped at her delicate skin there. "Nothing but the best."

Sakura leaned back into Pain and sighed in contentment. "Raiden and Amaya are with Ino and Shikamaru for now, leaving us alone for the next couple of hours," Sakura said, twisting in his grasp. "That gives me the chance to show you the village that molded me."

"We can also clean out your home and office," Pain suggested, to which Sakura nodded.

"Yes," Sakura agreed. "And I can finally move in with you."

Pain laughed, loud and unafraid of who could hear him. "Finally," he said in a huff, running his hands through Sakura's hair.

"Sakura, you are my wife, the mother of my children, and the love of my life. I hope you know I'm devoted to you heart and soul. Ask it of me and it will be done—wrong or right. I love you."

Sakura smiled, and stared up at her husband in awe and devotion. Of all of her decisions, he remained her proudest decision above all else. "And I love you."

* * *

Well, there it is. Chapter twenty. The LAST CHAPTER. I feel very accomplished right now. A little over a year later and I'm finally here at the finish line. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you who has followed me on this hectic journey. It's been a long and bumpy one, but you all hung in there. I feel honored to have readers like you all, and cherish every view and comment you give me!

It has been a pleasure writing for everyone here, and I hope you have enjoyed reading these characters as much as I have loved and enjoyed writing them.

I hope you all enjoyed this last chapter, and I hope I have done justice to the characters. Hopefully I will write more of Sakura, Pain, Amaya, and Raiden one day, but, for now, I'm going to let them rest within the confines of this story.

I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and I hope you all will review to tell me what you thought of this chapter/story!

This is the last time I will write this in all caps for this story, but... REVIEW! Even a few words is encouragement enough for me to keep writing, and keep dreaming up new stories!

I love you all!

Best,

Adoration (AKA Ella!)


	21. Sequel Excerpt

Hello everyone! I wanted to announce that I am working on a sequel! Entitled _Twin Flames: Fire & Fury, _I have posted the full first chapter here on FanFiction! I will give an excerpt here. I hope that you all enjoy this addition and storyline! Please head over, read chapter one, and leave some feedback on how you enjoyed the chapter, how you feel about having a sequel, and what you hope to see covered in the sequel!

Without further interruption from me, here is the excerpt of Chapter One: Bad Dreams!

~Adoration (AKA Ella!)

* * *

" _Help me, Amaya. Why won't you help me?" he screamed, eyes wide. "What are you doing? Stop crying!"_

 _Hands shaking, Amaya stared wide eyed at her two teammates. She had known death for most of her life. She had brought about death before, but by accident. Never on purpose. She had never seen someone she loved die._

"Amaya _."_

 _Taking a step forward, a kunai came from behind her, slicing her cheek before embedding in Haku's chest. He fell back, still._

 _Frozen, Amaya felt her mind go blank. She was going to die._

Amaya jolted awake, eyes snapping open. Breathing heavily, her eyes worked to focus on the ceiling which reflected the dim light given off by her fish tank. Bringing a hand up to rest on her forehead, Amaya sighed. She had hoped, after her productive day yesterday, she would sleep soundly. 'Hoped' being the key word, because, subconsciously, she had known she wouldn't. She never did anymore.

Amaya pushed herself up on a groan, her stiff muscles aching. She'd been hard on herself yesterday since no one had been in the base, which meant she could scream her frustrations without anyone around to question her sanity. Well, except Raiden. But the pipsqueak never said anything about Amaya. It had been a rare occurrence to be left alone without any of the other members. The past couple years had left Amaya feeling as if she had a longer leash of privacy, though, so that was something to internally celebrate.

The more she moved, the more she realized she was drenched in sweat. Her sheets were a lost cause as well. The clock read 3:30 a.m., her usual time to be awake and moving around.

' _Time to go_ ,' she tiredly thought, wishing she could sleep in. Just once. To be honest, as soon as she awoke from her chronic nightmares she couldn't imagine going back to sleep. Her body was aching with so much adrenaline that it was hard to lay comfortably, so it was a blessing to stand and start her day.

Yawning, she stretched her arms and legs, cracking her toes before she slid out of bed. Gathering her sheets, she tossed them in the basket across the room. She hid the evidence of her nightly ordeals like normal.

Pulling some running pants and a crop top from her drawers, she dressed and contemplated whether to eat before or after her run. As she pulled on her socks and running shoes, she decided a banana and some almonds wouldn't fill her stomach too much to give her running cramps.

The adrenaline running through her veins was enough to make her want to scream. Every morning was the same routine: wake up in a cold sweat, eat a light breakfast, go for a run, and come back to play out the day. Sometimes she took a shower to try and ease the ache or the energy, but there was no point if she was going for a run anyways. It was so monotonous it became infuriating to deal with. Sure, she had her missions from dad—well, Pain. Dad for all intents and purposes. The missions were usually low rank and easy to accomplish. Rarely was she given anything Class A. Those she stole from his office and appeared back at headquarters a few days later with the finished report. Hence why her missions were few and far between. Punishments usually kept one busy around the base. Oh well.

The hallway was dimly lit, but easy enough to navigate. She knew these halls like the back of her hand. Better. So, when she saw a light from the library just past the residence halls it struck her as odd. Well, until she realized Raiden had probably never gone to bed. ' _Little shit_ ,' she thought lovingly.


End file.
